TULSA, Okla. —  The sheriff's office has backed off its recommendation that three dogs that are part of a bestiality case should be destroyed.

Donald Roy Seigfried, 55, and Diane Whalen, 54, face felony charges of committing crimes against nature, the statute that deals with bestiality.

Sheriff's officials at first said the animals appeared aggressive and should be put down. Animal rights groups argued that the dogs should be spared.

"The undersheriff has rethought his position on the dogs involved in the pornography," said sheriff's Capt. John Bowman. "Because of their status as being victims in this whole thing, he decided they will not be euthanized.

"His intent is to maintain them until they can be rehabilitated and then to get them adopted by people or organizations who are aware of their background and get a good home for all of them."

The sheriff's office received evidence the dogs had been filmed dozens of times performing sex acts with a woman.