A great example of a really bad piece of so-called anti-rodeo legislation is the proposed LA ordinance which purports to protect rodeo animals. It not only fails to address the source of 95% of the cruelty which occurs outside the arena before and after the actual rodeo. (I won't elaborate since there are countless articles documenting the horrible treatment of rodeo animals in preparation for a rodeo performance. ).
But what really makes the ordinance a farce is how it's expected to be enforced. Guess who is charged with the responsibility for monitoring the treatment of the animals and expected to report abuse? The friggin' rodeo vet!!! Don't know whether to laugh or scream. So the vet paid by the rodeo is the one that's gonna call the cops on the rodeo?!?!?! Yeah right. This horrible and unenforceable law was written by the LA City Attorney's Office which was famous in the early 2000's for creating a model Animal Cruelty Task Force and Animal Protection Unit. But that Office has undone virtually all the efforts achieved during that time and now is drafting laws that they know are unenforceable and will do nothing for animals.
. It irks me to no end that even when I've revealed the shortcomings of the law and how it's pretty much useless and a scam, animal groups and individuals still support it. Some say it's better than nothing. WRONG! Ineffective legislation simply prevents effective legislation. A weak law is sometimes better than nothing but a law that scams the public into thinking it's protecting animals when it's not is worse than nothing at all because it guarantees there won't be an effective law for who knows when. Legislators will refuse to consider an effective law because they'll say they already addressed the issue and they have other priorities. So if this law passes you can forget any future attempts to actually protect rodeo animals. Because of the inherent cruelty that must be a part of a rodeo, anything short of a total ban is unacceptable. What's really ironic about all this is that the LA City Council was willing to ban the use of circus animals but not the far worse practice of rodeos.
Frankly, the rodeo people are probably behind closed doors celebrating this ordinance knowing damn well it's a useless law. If I was a rodeo attorney and asked to write a law that looks like it's protecting rodeo animals but doesn't to prevent a total ban being passed...this is the law I'd write. And I'm serious about that!
Shame on the LA City Attorney for enabling and perpetuating cruelty to rodeo animals knowing full well that the law will never be enforced and use up their "valuable" resources in court. Shame!!!
Bob, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the proposed LA ordinance regarding rodeo animals. I appreciate and share your passion and concern for the welfare of these animals, and I understand your frustration with legislation that may appear ineffective or unenforceable.
Your points about the shortcomings of the ordinance and the potential conflicts of interest in its enforcement are well taken. It's crucial that any law intended to protect animals genuinely addresses the root causes of cruelty and has a robust mechanism for enforcement. I share your commitment to ensuring that animal welfare laws are not only well-intentioned but also practical and impactful.
Your feedback is invaluable, and I will certainly consider your insights in my ongoing advocacy for stronger and more effective animal protection measures. Thank you again for your dedication to this important cause.
I think back in the Old West when it was a small contest to see if a cowboy had what it takes, they were fun. When the animal had as much chance, if not more, than the oerson. Nowadays, they are huge, slick productions requiring even more and more danger to elicit entertainment because human beings are messed up.
I have only seen one rodeo, and that was as Paramedic standby. That one was enough that I never needed that particular overtime again. A nice knife fight or drowning that only involves people was easier to stomach.
Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective, Emmy! I tend to agree with you that man's inhumanity to man is bad enough. It ought not bleed over to impacting innocent animals.
A great example of a really bad piece of so-called anti-rodeo legislation is the proposed LA ordinance which purports to protect rodeo animals. It not only fails to address the source of 95% of the cruelty which occurs outside the arena before and after the actual rodeo. (I won't elaborate since there are countless articles documenting the horrible treatment of rodeo animals in preparation for a rodeo performance. ).
But what really makes the ordinance a farce is how it's expected to be enforced. Guess who is charged with the responsibility for monitoring the treatment of the animals and expected to report abuse? The friggin' rodeo vet!!! Don't know whether to laugh or scream. So the vet paid by the rodeo is the one that's gonna call the cops on the rodeo?!?!?! Yeah right. This horrible and unenforceable law was written by the LA City Attorney's Office which was famous in the early 2000's for creating a model Animal Cruelty Task Force and Animal Protection Unit. But that Office has undone virtually all the efforts achieved during that time and now is drafting laws that they know are unenforceable and will do nothing for animals.
. It irks me to no end that even when I've revealed the shortcomings of the law and how it's pretty much useless and a scam, animal groups and individuals still support it. Some say it's better than nothing. WRONG! Ineffective legislation simply prevents effective legislation. A weak law is sometimes better than nothing but a law that scams the public into thinking it's protecting animals when it's not is worse than nothing at all because it guarantees there won't be an effective law for who knows when. Legislators will refuse to consider an effective law because they'll say they already addressed the issue and they have other priorities. So if this law passes you can forget any future attempts to actually protect rodeo animals. Because of the inherent cruelty that must be a part of a rodeo, anything short of a total ban is unacceptable. What's really ironic about all this is that the LA City Council was willing to ban the use of circus animals but not the far worse practice of rodeos.
Frankly, the rodeo people are probably behind closed doors celebrating this ordinance knowing damn well it's a useless law. If I was a rodeo attorney and asked to write a law that looks like it's protecting rodeo animals but doesn't to prevent a total ban being passed...this is the law I'd write. And I'm serious about that!
Shame on the LA City Attorney for enabling and perpetuating cruelty to rodeo animals knowing full well that the law will never be enforced and use up their "valuable" resources in court. Shame!!!
Bob, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the proposed LA ordinance regarding rodeo animals. I appreciate and share your passion and concern for the welfare of these animals, and I understand your frustration with legislation that may appear ineffective or unenforceable.
Your points about the shortcomings of the ordinance and the potential conflicts of interest in its enforcement are well taken. It's crucial that any law intended to protect animals genuinely addresses the root causes of cruelty and has a robust mechanism for enforcement. I share your commitment to ensuring that animal welfare laws are not only well-intentioned but also practical and impactful.
Your feedback is invaluable, and I will certainly consider your insights in my ongoing advocacy for stronger and more effective animal protection measures. Thank you again for your dedication to this important cause.
Excellent call to action, Ed! Rodeos are entrenched in our culture. It’s going to be difficult to make these changes but we must advocate!
I think back in the Old West when it was a small contest to see if a cowboy had what it takes, they were fun. When the animal had as much chance, if not more, than the oerson. Nowadays, they are huge, slick productions requiring even more and more danger to elicit entertainment because human beings are messed up.
I have only seen one rodeo, and that was as Paramedic standby. That one was enough that I never needed that particular overtime again. A nice knife fight or drowning that only involves people was easier to stomach.
Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective, Emmy! I tend to agree with you that man's inhumanity to man is bad enough. It ought not bleed over to impacting innocent animals.