Florida to Consider Ban on 'Cow Tipping'

UPDATE: It was brought to my attention long after the item below was posted that contrary to how it was presented at the time by a certain Tallahassee columnist, the bill introduced in 2004 by Sen. Dave Aronberg was actually aimed at curtailing cruelty to animals in rodeos, not cow tipping. Caveat lector.

Original post:

Skeptics say the "legendary country pastime" doesn't even exist, but that probably won't stop the Florida legislature from voting next session on a proposal that would outlaw cow tipping throughout the state. The bill, introduced by Sen. Dave Aronberg, reads as follows:

828.1211 Felling cattle.--A person who, for the purpose of practice, entertainment, or sport, intentionally fells, trips, or otherwise causes a cow to fall or lose its balance by means of roping, lassoing, dragging, or otherwise touching the tail of the cow commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. As used in this section, "cow" means any animal of any registered breed of the genus Bos, or any recognized hybrid thereof.

Some Floridians [link to Tallahassee Democrat column has expired], still smarting from the state's 1998 ban on dwarf tossing, are beginning to wonder why legislators don't just get it over with and outlaw fun altogether. Discuss.