A Loveland Republican on Thursday warned that same-sex marriage could one day lead to interspecies marriage, if the state fails to ban gay nuptials.

"Where do you draw the line?" Rep. Jim Welker asked. "A year ago in India, a woman married her dog."

Well, Jim, I believe it should depend on the size of the dog. Some breeds are just not suitable.

Welker's comments were made at a news conference called by Rep. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, to promote Lundberg's proposal for a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Rep. Angie Paccione, D-Fort Collins, who attended to decry the idea as a throwback to long-discarded laws criminalizing interracial marriage - she grew up in a biracial family - reacted strongly to Welker's comment. She ran toward the podium.

"Come on, Jim, that's not the same. Come on, man!" she yelled.

"A guy in Boulder tried to marry his horse a couple years ago," Welker said.

I loved a palomino once. I believe he would have married me if I'd asked.