Cow tail docking made illegal in California

SACRAMENTO
October 12, 2009 10:09am

California cows can keep their tails. A new law, taking effect in January, will prohibit the practice of tail docking.

The bill, authored by state Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter, was supported by the Humane Society of the United States, as well as the California Veterinary Medical Association, ASPCA, California Cattlemen’s Association and California Farm Bureau.

The Senate passed the bill 27-12, and the Assembly approved it by a vote of 58-15.

(Download a copy of the bill by clicking on the link below.)

When the bill came up for a vote in the Assembly Agriculture Committee in July, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger mocked the bill, says Mr. Florez, “sending staff to videotape the hearing and post the recording on YouTube and posting several comments to his Twitter account.”

Mr. Florez says he’s pleased the governor reversed himself.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Humane Society of the United States for the efforts of the organization and its many members to impress upon Schwarzenegger that message.

“The governor clearly got the message that Californians don’t consider animal cruelty a laughing matter,” says Mr. Florez.

“We’re grateful to Senator Florez for his humane leadership on this important legislation, which sets a clear precedent that dairy cows deserve protection from unnecessary abuse,” says Jennifer Fearing, California state senior director for the Humane society.

“California has once again proven itself a leader in advancing the humane treatment of farm animals,” says Gene Baur, president of Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal protection organization based in Watkins Glen, N.Y. “By signing this bill into law, Governor Schwarzenegger has taken a stand for compassion and sent a humane message to the rest of the country.”