And our animals have done it tough too.

This week, a ute was parked in Wagga, and there was a dog on the back with an umbrella for shade.

To clarify it wasn’t a hot day, certainly not like the temperatures above 45 degrees that we experienced last week, but it was clear the owner had animal welfare at the forefront of their mind. 

Keeping animals cool makes sense. It is acceptable animal husbandry and it is also good for business.

At the end of the day livestock are making money and those at the coalface of the industry are the best animal welfare advocates. 

In recent weeks the Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre has brought the selling time of lambs forward so stock are not sold during the heat of the day. 

At the same time we were battling a record heatwave animal rights groups thought it was a good idea to launch the Aussie Farms Map. It’s a concept that is not helpful and has done little but instill fear. 

If you see a drone flying above your feedlot or piggery or encounter an unwanted trespasser you can probably blame this map. 

But despite the unwanted move one thing is for sure, most people want to improve the conditions for their animals. So the initiative of Greens MP Cate Faehrmann to provide a $30 million support package to help provide shade makes sense. But is there enough money to fund it? 

Shade is expensive, but it is also something most operators would be keen to do if the funds are available. Currently the standards and guidelines for animal welfare for cattle and sheep, which inform the enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in NSW, only require shade to be considered in construction of facilities for livestock.

She said the Greens were calling for new laws which make it mandatory for livestock to have access to shade during hot weather.

The Greens are proposing:

Have your say at www.therural.com.au