Legal guinea pigs: Swiss to vote on lawyers for animals
Switzerland could become the first country to give animals – including goldfish and guinea pigs – the right to be represented by lawyers in cruelty cases if voters back the plan in a March referendum.
The proposal would mean every canton in the country would be obliged to appoint a lawyer to act on behalf of pets and farm animals to protect them from abuse.
“Humans accused of animal cruelty can hire a lawyer or get one assigned but animals can’t,” lawyer Antoine Goetschel, an animal advocate in Zurich since 2007, told the Sunday Times.
“Pet keepers think that a so-called love for a guinea pig is enough. But this ignores the animal’s needs as a species, such as having a companion.”
Goetschel’s present job entails enforcing legislation guaranteeing the rights of “social animals” such as goldfish, guinea pigs and canaries to always have company. The new rules also require dog owners to go on a four-hour pet care course.
But the referendum is opposed by farmers, fishermen and the Swiss government and critics argue that animal advocates are “useless to animals” because they only get involved after abuse has occurred.
[...] News reported on the plans earlier in the year but 70 percent of voters weren’t swayed by the arguments of animal rights [...]