Animal cruelty gets big boost in Louisiana

88% of Louisianians say they are against cockfighting, yet cockfighting persists in the state. Efforts to stop it get no help from Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, whose home district is probably ground zero for all cockfighting activity.

But the 88% figures comes into question when you consider that on Tuesday, 81% of Louisiana voters passed a constitutional amendment that gives rights to hunter, fishermen and -women, and trappers to do anything they want, restricted only by natural resources preservation laws and trespass laws (which are routinely ignored).

In other words, Louisianians say they are appalled by roosters going at each other with steel claws, but they think it is fine and dandy to catch creatures (intended or otherwise) in foothold traps.

The amendment was placed on the ballot with the hope of passing it before the animal rights movement could challenge the methods used to trap and kill and make attempts to restrict both times and seasons of hunting and trapping. Whether the animal rights movement will be able to challenge the amendment remains to be seen. On the other hand, what is clear is that the voters of Louisiana either don't really care about animal cruelty or don't bother to study the amendments for which they vote.

My guess is both.