Your eyes on California Government

Katy Grimes: Cal Expo cops shot and killed a “rampaging,” pregnant Holstein dairy cow at the state fair in Sacramento yesterday, claiming that they couldn’t corral her.

Local television news reported that the U.C. Davis Veterinary school was preparing to use the cow in a live birthing exhibit later in the day, but “Bessy” got away.

So, instead of tossing a rope around her neck, they chased her around for more that 90 minutes with an SUV, probably terrifying her, eventually giving the order to shoot her.

The fair was not open yet, but fair officials said there were about 1,000 Cal Expo workers already there.

Claiming that she was a “threat” to Cal Expo workers, the twitchy cop shot who shot her used eleven rounds, after she had already been shot with a tranquilizer.

With Cal Expo already under scrutiny for cost and relevance, the cow-killing incident doesn’t help matters. Particularly after the embarrassing theft of $100,000 in cash from a concession last week.

This is another example of state mismanagement and incompetence. Between the U.C. Davis Veterinarian’s lack of judgment or leadership, and fair officials’ inability to control the situation, talk of privatizing or closing the fair should be on the table. The state appears incapable of running anything efficiently and effectively — including catching a cow at the state fair.

What happens when a dangerous sheep or mean pig gets loose?

The incident of the dangerous, rampaging, pregnant cow will go down in Cal Expo history.

And the cop who shot her… will he go out on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated?