Euthanizing Chickens

Maybe it's just me, but there sure does seem to be a disconnect going on in New Mexico. A team of 40 people conducted a cockfighting raid in Dona Ana County and:

Beth Vesco-Mock, animal shelter director, said she received an order from the sheriff's department to euthanize all the birds. She said shelter staff euthanized them in two waves — one group of 358 animals Saturday night and a second group of 47 Sunday morning.

In total the news story reports that 618 birds were euthanized. In other news:

New Mexico is among the states with the highest rate of hunger, or food insecurity, in the nation. Much of it is the result of the poverty endemic to the state, but food banks in New Mexico also report an increase this year in the number of working and middle class people needing food aid.

Hmm, I wonder if euthanzing those birds was really the best way to go?

If No One Is There To Watch

So, the Governor signed legislation banning cockfighting. However, I thought this was an interesting wrinkle:

The bill outlaws participation in cockfights, making it a petty misdemeanor on the first offense, a misdemeanor on second offense and a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison for a third or subsequent offense.

Spectators could not be charged.

Is it a cockfight if no one is there to watch? I wonder why the exception? Now mind you, this is not an issue I feel strongly about one way or another. After all, it is a little hard to get excited by this "landmark" legislation when I'm reading reports like this (subscription required):

New Mexico's K-12 education system received four F's in a report released this week by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Several states ranked near the bottom along with New Mexico in the chamber's "Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness," including Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Yup, it's great to see that New Mexico's elected officials have their priorities in order - poultry followed by children. I'm curious how that is going to play on the presidential campaign trail? FDR promised a chicken in every pot. Richardson promises a rooster out of every ring. Ah yes, definite frontrunner material.