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By: Avery Finch | Historical Correspondent
January 17, 2026

ENUMCLAW – While many dates in January are celebrated for political breakthroughs or artistic achievements, January 17th serves as a somber reminder of one of the most bizarre and legally transformative incidents in Washington State history. Known worldwide as the Enumclaw Horse Sex Case, this 2005 event fundamentally altered the state’s criminal code and became an early, dark milestone in the history of viral internet culture.

On this day, we reflect on a case that forced a quiet farming community into a global spotlight it never requested and permanently ended the legality of bestiality in the Pacific Northwest.

The Incident That Shocked the Nation

The case centered on Kenneth Pinyan, a 45-year-old Boeing engineer from Gig Harbor, and his associate James Michael Tait. The duo, operating under the online community for zoophiles, had been frequenting a 40-acre farm northwest of Enumclaw to engage in sexual acts with livestock.

The situation turned fatal on July 2, 2005, when Pinyan sustained internal injuries—later identified as acute peritonitis due to a perforated colon—during an encounter with a stallion. Pinyan was anonymously dropped off at the Enumclaw Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The subsequent investigation revealed hundreds of hours of videotaped evidence, including a recording of Pinyan’s final moments, which would later circulate on the internet under the infamous alias “Mr. Hands.”

The Legal Vacuum of 2005

The most shocking revelation to emerge from the 2005 investigation was not just the nature of the acts, but their legality. At the time, Washington was one of the few states where zoophilia was not a crime, provided no animal cruelty could be proven.

Because the horses involved showed no signs of injury, prosecutors were unable to bring charges related to the sexual acts themselves. Instead, James Tait was charged only with first-degree criminal trespass for entering the neighbor’s barn without permission. He eventually received a one-year suspended sentence, a $300 fine, and one day of community service.

A Lasting Legislative Legacy

The public outcry following Pinyan’s death and the lenient sentencing of his associates led to immediate legislative action. By February 2006, the Washington State Legislature passed Senate Bill 6417, officially making bestiality a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The law also specifically criminalized the videotaping of such acts, directly addressing the distribution of zoophilic pornography that had fueled the Enumclaw group.

The case was later immortalized in the 2007 documentary Zoo, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. The film attempted to provide a non-sensationalized look at the subculture involved, but for the residents of Enumclaw, the case remains a “hushed” chapter of local history they would rather forget.