PonderingWillow notes that California lawmakers are looking at a bill that would direct the state’s Office of Emergency Services to add animals into its evacuation plans in the event of a disaster. Now, in addition to the animals who, say, might not drown in a flood, the other prime beneficiary of the law would be factor farmers – from all indications, the bill is directed at commercial animals more than dogs and cats and lemurs. Critics of the plan say that farmers should take out insurance policies instead of relying on taxpayer dollars, and I can’t believe I’m siding with factory farmers over government, but I’ve always said that if you’re going to own animals, you have to take responsibility for them through good times and bad, and lobbying the government is a part of that, I guess. In the meantime, this bill might draw some small degree of attention to the fact that California has 1.7 million dairy cows, which carry a cost far beyond the price per head paid by the farmer. Link.
