I came across this article at Inside Higher Education that completely blows my mind -- officials at Palm Beach Community College recently declined to provide health insurance benefits for domestic partners of their employees, but have now approved health insurance benefits for pets of their employees:

When trustees of Palm Beach Community College reached a tie vote in August on a proposal to offer health insurance for the domestic partners of employees, the measure failed and advocates for gay professors and other employees were disappointed. Because the college only pays for employees’ benefits, the proposal wouldn’t have cost the college a penny, but would have opened up quality insurance at a lower cost for the partners of gay and lesbian employees.

Now -- in a move that is seen as adding salt to those wounds -- the college has added a new health insurance benefit for some (unmarried) household members of employees: pet health insurance. All employees were told that they would get a 5 percent discount and group rates on a health insurance plans for their pets. A range of plans are offered, covering wellness care, vaccinations, X-rays, surgery and hospitalization (although pre-existing conditions may not be covered).

“Your pet is a member of your family — his quality of life is important to you,” says the promotional material from the veterinary insurance company. While gay rights groups in the area stressed that they are not anti-pet, they said it was insulting for the college to offer a new benefit for canines and felines who are considered family members while ignoring human life partners of their employees.

I suppose that just about sums up the state of our nation, where animals are treated more humanely than some human beings. Absolutely incredible.