California quietly moves to ease the suffering of millions
Although you may not read about it in the newspaper, an important proposition in California calling for improvements in the treatment of farm animals passed by a vote of 61 per cent on Tuesday.
The vote for Proposition 12 means that by 2022 egg-laying hens will no longer be confined in cages. Egg-laying hens, breeding pigs and calves raised for veal will now be given move space to move around. (Still, note that this only applies to animal-derived food sold in California.)
Make no mistake about it, it is impossible to raise tens of billions of animals for slaughter without causing enormous suffering. Still, this new law is an improvement.
Eric Bahrt
Chiang Mai
