Switzerland has recently passed a law to clarify acceptable treatment of “social animals.”
The law, which goes into effect in September, establishes desirable treatment of animals such as dogs, fish, horses, and even rhinoceroses. An array of animals has been included under the bracket of “social animals” and a part of the new law states that any of these animals will be considered abused if they are not able to cohabit with another of their species.
Under the law dog owners must take a two part course on recognizing the needs of the dog and properly walking a dog. Swiss fisherman will now be required to participate in a course that teaches them how to catch fish humanely. Catch and release fishing has been banned; instead anglers must now kill the fish immediately after being caught with “a sharp blow to the head with a blunt instrument.”
The law affects farmers as well. They are barred from restraining horses, sheep, and goats. Pigs and cows must not be forced to reside in areas with hard flooring.
Although animal rights groups are jumping for joy over the new law, many Swiss farmers are complaining of the extra costs to run their farms.
This is the weirdest thing that I have heard in a week. If it was April 1 I would say that the good Lady who posted this has come up with a doozie. Perhaps the good people who have gotten under everyones skin to get this foolishness passed should be required to OWN a pet or two , work on a farm ,work in a slaughter house ,or just have somthing to do with animals or animal husbandry. Perhaps then they would realize the foolishness that they perpetuate. I have never seen a farmer who has a profitable operation treat his stock with anything less than good care. You dont abuse what earns you cash. As for learning to walk the dog? Give me a break. Smacking a fish in the head to end its suffering? HEY, arent these the same folkes that think euthenasia (aka assisted suicide ) is okay too? That may explain a lot. Wow, I dont think I want to go there. Sounds a lot like where some of our more liberal states (I almost named the state I was thinking of) (its in New England so that lets Calif off the hook this time) are headed.
The soap box is now open.
Good night ,
Perch
ps. as to not restraining critters? Go ahead and dont “Restrain” em and see where they end up at.Ever find a cow in your flower garden? Aint pretty ill tell you that.
I would really like to see a YouTube video of these fringe group wackos “socializing” or “cohabiting” with a rhino. That should make for good sport watching the “interaction” between these two “social animals.” My money is on the rhino. That’s like having the NRA & PETA cohabiting. Where do these people come up this stuff?:rolleyes:
If fish are “social animals,” then why do they scatter when people or other animals approach them? Soooo many questions with so few rational answers.
These people cannot learn to coexist with the mainstream population, yet their voice is listened to by some other wack job who’s looking for votes from any group they can get them from so they can keep their government job. It goes to prove it’s easier to bend to the left than it is to bend to the right.
If they feel that they have this interaction thing figured out by forcing people to take classes on how to walk their dogs, they I would encourage them to invite convicted felons (a social animal of sorts) who have been released from prison to come into their homes so they can rehabilitate them using their extensive knowledge of “social interation among animals of the same species.” If they have all the answers, why not put it to good use?
Does an eggplant or zuchini feel pain when plucked from the vine? My Ouije Board has not revealed an answer so far, in spite of all my urgings. I’ll have to defer to the Swiss for the proper way to dispatch an eggplant. I’ll bet they know!
Joseph the Confused
(Not to be confused with St Paul the Confused, but, nonetheless, confused)
Hey! That’s SERIOUS stuff!!! It’s not the first country to apply those laws (to fishing). Germany has made it nearly impossible to enjoy angling too. The real threat is that it’s growing and one day will head this way.
Hmmm. I thought Swiss provinces made their own local laws, not the central government. Switzerland is suppose to be a republic, guess its not any more.
I wonder if they are also addressing the issue of bovine flatulence? I believe we were told by “The planet has a fever” that bovine flatulence is a major contributor to global warming. Maybe they can tap the backside of bossy and use it as an alternative energy source. It seems to work on landfills, why not cows?
Sorry, Joe, but that would require restraining Bossy. Also puts the Swiss Miss out of business. Well, there goes one of their GNP"s (Great National Products).
It appears that Sweden is more or less cutting down on the “mass factory animal farmers”, such as we have here, that raise farm animals like chickens, pigs, etc., to meet the high demand for consumption.
They wish to stop the “super growers”, that produce “extra meaty chickens and hams”, through chemical controls, using hormones and other drugs.
The article, below, from the New York Times, today seems to make some bit of sense out of this latest set of laws that Sweden has passed!?
From The New York Times:
In the last few months, Sweden has begun putting in place a rights program for farm animals that may be the most stringent in the world. Under an animal-welfare law enacted in July, cattle, pigs and chickens are being freed from the restrictions of intensive, or factory-farming methods, in which animals are kept in crowded conditions and antibiotics and hormones are often administered.
Besides the inherent concerns about humane treatment of animals and food quality in this Scandinavian society, the legislation reflects the extraordinary political clout in Sweden of an 81-year-old writer, Astrid Lindgren. One of the world’s most widely read authors of children’s books, perhaps best-known as the creator of the character ‘‘Pippi Longstocking,’’ Mrs. Lindgren demonstrated the power of the pen in Swedish affairs by writing a series of satirical allegories in leading newspapers, underscoring the plight of farm animals and fueling the animal-welfare campaign. ‘Best for the Animals’
Swedish cattle have been given grazing rights under the new law. Pigs can no longer be tethered and must be granted separate bedding and feeding places. Both cows and pigs, the law states, must have ‘‘access to straw and litter.’’ Chickens must be let out of their cramped cages. No drugs or hormones can be used on farm animals, except to treat disease.
Most of the requirements will be phased in over the next few years, but implementation of the provision making all chickens free rangers will be stretched over several years to lift some of the economic burden from farmers and to give them time to build more spacious accommodations.
Even when they are being killed, Swedish farm animals apparently have rights. ‘‘All slaughtering must be as humane as possible,’’ the act declares.
I also read that some anglers fromn Germany would be willing to teach some of the Swiss anglers how to have slippery hands.
You can’t kill what you can’t hold.
Swiss anlgers are working to reverse this.
