Meteorologists note that 2016 and 2020 were the hottest years on record. Well, welcome to 2022. This year has been fraught with high temperatures and unstable weather conditions in the United States. But for the first time in recorded history, the United Kingdom has also surpassed triple-digit temperatures. Adding to this painful dynamic is the lack of air conditioning in most homes, as only 1% of residences in the U.K. are outfitted with a cooling system. Stateside, the heat wave has led to multiple deaths and injuries and is now trickling down to the most vulnerable populations, including animals.

On July 20, The National Weather Service reported: “Heat continues to be the major weather story heading into the latter half of the week, with over 100 million citizens currently located within Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories. Even though it is mid-July and during the climatological peak of summer for most locations, well above average temperatures are making conditions even more likely to cause heat-related illnesses.” Humans who act as animal caregivers have the arduous task of keeping themselves cool so that they can provide shelter and safety to those in their charge. People who care for pets employ the use of air conditioning whenever possible. Some people report that they provide their animals the chance to stay cool in small wading pools or keep them comfortable by hosing them down at various intervals throughout the day. Sadly, on the opposite end of the spectrum, this weather is bringing out the worst in some people who put financial considerations ahead of animal welfare.

Bloomberg reports that ranchers “can’t sell their herds fast enough” in response to the rising temperatures. Costs of keeping herds fed, as well as the increasing costs of fuel needed to transport the animals back and forth, are proving inconvenient. What this means for the cows, calves, bulls, and steers is many will be auctioned off and ultimately slaughtered. More families will be ripped apart, and the worst of animal agriculture and factory farms will play out in large form. After all, their logic is that it’s easier to commodify animals than to provide misting devices and other cooling tactics to protect them. A livestock and crop farmer named Scott Frazier recently sold about 100 cows at auction. He told Bloomberg, “It’s dry and there’s no hay around,” adding, “It’s hard to justify keeping them.” 

While climatologists and environmentalists discuss how to curtail droughts, rising sea levels, and the drying of lakes, streams, and reservoirs, there’s still a lot of grassroots work to be done. Human behavior is being blamed for the extreme heat, and the vicious cycle shows no signs of slowing. The warmer it gets outside, the more people will use cooling systems to counteract the heat. Additional strain on the energy grid exacerbates the harsh reality that the world is on borrowed time regarding climate change. Turning off the lights, staying hydrated, and cutting down energy use during peak hours are small steps that have a huge impact. Also, keeping bird baths full and leaving water for wildlife helps. Climate deniers can proselytize that this increasing rash of extreme weather is the natural order of things, but it’s not. 

The need to end factory farms is apparent when considering the current state of the world. Harsh climates will undoubtedly continue in the coming years. Some scientists are especially worried since many predictions they assumed wouldn’t materialize until 2050 have arrived nearly three decades earlier than expected. As for the cows, horses, goats, and other species suffering as a result of animal agriculture, it’s more important than ever to eradicate this system that treats innocent beings as figures on a balance sheet rather than considering their well-being. 

Sources: National Weather Service, National Geographic, Bloomberg