Switzerland has many laws relating to animals. In January 2018, it made world news after banning live lobster boiling.
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Now there is an initiative to prevent suffering among cats. More than 100,000 signatures, the number required to hold a federal referendum, have been collected for an initiative that aims to make it compulsory to have cats in Switzerland sterilized.
- Switzerland bans boiling lobsters alive (Le News)
Network for Animal Protection, a Swiss animal protection association estimates there are between 100,000 and 300,000 wild cats in Switzerland. Esther Geisser, president of the association, says that many of these cats are suffering from hunger and disease, something amounting to animal cruelty.
Currently, Swiss law requires animal owners to take reasonable measures to prevent excessive reproduction of their animals. Organisers of the initiative want to strengthen this to require owners of domestic cats that roam freely to have them castrated by a vet.
There is broad government support for the initiative, although some question the enforceability of any new law.
More on this:
Initiative website (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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