Posted on 05/26/2008 6:47:31 PM PDT by markomalley
I think it's official -- Switzerland's neutrality in major world events over the years has loosened a screw or two.
First off, the London Times reported that the Swiss have passed a law outlining the treatment of "social animals." Now, just from that description my first thought would be animal welfare league-type of laws but no, no, no. Oh, no. This is from the Times story:
Under a new Swiss law enshrining rights for animals, dog owners will require a qualification, anglers will take lessons in compassion and horses will go only in twos.
From guinea-pigs to budgerigars, any animal classified as a "social species" will be a victim of abuse if it does not cohabit, or at least have contact, with others of its own kind.
The new regulation stipulates that aquariums for pet fish should not be transparent on all sides and that owners must make sure that the natural cycle of day and night is maintained in terms of light. Goldfish are considered social animals, or Gruppentiere in German.
The law affects fisherman who will have to take a course on how to catch fish humanely, farmers will no longer be able to fetter or restrain horses, sheep or goats and farmers will have to make sure pigs and cows are not housed in locations with a hard floor.
Farmers are rightfully complaining because of the costs involved. Animal rights groups were excited.
Personally, we've had goldfish and the designation that they are social creatures is mighty surprising when I've seen them eat the weakest in the tank (and I fed them daily!).
When we were given a kitten ten years ago, I was so sure she would want a companion we went a few weeks later picked out another kitten approximately her age from the ASPCA. Yeah, that didn't go over so well. Today, ten years later, Buffy (named for her color, not the television show) still gets angry at Percy -- who picks on her unmercifully.
Dog owners are hit really hard by the new Swiss law -- they will have to take a two part course they will have to pay for themselves. The course content is still undecided but will include a section on recognizing the needs and wants of the animal as well as how to walk a dog.
The Swiss even included the care and keeping of rhinoceroses in the legislation -- um, okaaaay.
If this weren't enough, several years ago, the Swiss added an amendment to their constitution that included vague language on the dignity of animals, plants and other organisms.
This was confusing and unclear so a bioethics panel was asked to investigate and make recommendations. The panel's recently released report is called "The Dignity of Living Beings with Regard to Plants."
According to this report, the random and meaningless destruction of plants is a violation of the plant's "dignity." In other words, if you weed your flower bed -- freeing up space for the other plants to grow -- that action would be fine. If you willfully destroy plants for no reason at all except for the fun of it, that action violates the plant's "dignity" -- though the panel couldn't exactly agree on why.
I have no problem conserving our resources. I think it's a wise investment and an obligation we have as human beings to keep our world as healthy as possible for future generations. But rampant, intrusive, misanthropic environmentalism that values plant and animal life above human beings should shame us.
While we are fighting over the right to life of unborn children and those who are severely brain damaged, while human beings in developing nations are starving for lack of food and resources -- environmental elitists are arguing over the dignity of plants.
The priorities of some people -- and nations -- are seriously out of order.
ping for your lists
These people are nuts. Peta would love something like this for us. Seems like Europe is going more for the animal than for the human population. Sigh.
I keep looking for the Scrappleface³ source, but alas.
Especially the Chinese fighting variety. They're a lot of fun to watch socialize.
We have a different problem here in the U.S. -- RINOs legislating.
I'm speechless
Believe me Marysecretary, AR activists here are watching the European counterparts, and they have the same planned for this country someday. They have AR conventions here, and seminars on how to follow the lead/example of Europe.
I’d hate to see the day they come after Diana in Wisconsin, they got a real “whoopin” coming (LOL).
I don’t doubt that at all. They’re already starting. Grrrr.
The best thing to do with people who think they are equal to animals is to treat them like animals.
I’m sure you’re right about the AR freaks and Diana. Go Diana! :-)
It doesn't shame me. It frightens me. When we devalue human life to the point that it's no more important than animals or plants, we're not far from marching an out of power sub-group off to the execution chambers. And no, I'm not crazy.
It must be the high altitude that’s got to them. Lack of oxygen to the brain can make people nutty, and this is about as nutty as they can get. LOL
Last time the Swiss went this nutty was in 1798 when they welcomed Napoleon. The one good thing about the Swiss form of government is that if the people think they really screwed up in passing these laws then it is not hard for them to reverse the law by an initiative.
But for now I have to mark off Switzerland as a possible retirement until they get some sense.
When people have fewer rights than cows to socialization and lack of restraint, you’re right, the right to life becomes very tenuous indeed.
Especially when humans are already demonized for the harm we cause to the world AND each other. I expect that logic leads to merely more euthenasia / abortion / population control. Whether it also leads to active murder of humans “to save the animals” I don’t know.
If they consider meat to be murder, do they then agree with the death penalty for the carnivore?
Wonder what they’re going to do when they’ve finally succeeded in “weeding” out the majority of humans, then realize that, ack!, the flora and fauna can’t pay taxes?
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