Animals Get A Voice In Swiss Politics

Simulposted with:

European Vegetarian and Animal News Alliance (EVANA)

Geneva – Swiss animal lovers have founded a political party to represent the interests of their four-legged friends, Swiss news agency ATS reported on Sunday.

The Animal Party Switzerland was established on Saturday with an economist, a lawyer and the head of the Swiss vegetarian union as founding members, said the agency, quoting Thomas Maerki, who heads the new party.

The party – which plans to contest elections next year – has set up a page on Facebook with the slogan “because animals need a voice,” and a pledge to “represent the interests of animals in politics and the economy”.

Switzerland boasts strict laws protecting animals. It is illegal to flush goldfish alive down a toilet, and owners of some animals such as budgies and hamsters must guarantee that the animals have social companions.

Even sheep and goats must have at least a “visual contact with their fellows”.

Earlier this year, enough signatures were collected to force a referendum on whether abused animals should be assigned lawyers. In the end, the initiative failed to muster a majority of votes.

Swiss Animals Get Political Voice: http://m.news24.com/news24/World/News/Swiss-animals-get-political-voice-20100725

If you have a Facebook account, please consider joining the group : http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114335688601237&ref=mf#!/group.php?gid=114335688601237&v=wall&ref=mf