Sample text: Equal treatment of wildlife in animal welfare law
1. Motion
The government council is mandated to actively advocate at federal level for the abolition of the special animal welfare status of wildlife killed in the context of recreational hunting. In particular:
- prepare a cantonal initiative demanding harmonisation of the Animal Welfare Act (TSchG) with the Hunting Act
- adapt the hunting ordinance at cantonal level so that cantonal animal welfare requirements are applied analogously to recreational hunting
- examine whether the cantonal animal welfare authority can be involved in monitoring recreational hunting
- authorise the veterinary office to conduct regular inspections of hunting practices
- systematically record and prosecute violations of animal welfare principles in recreational hunting (unnecessary suffering, avoidable wounding)
2. Brief justification
Switzerland's Animal Welfare Act is among the most progressive in the world. However,this protection ends at the forest edge. Strict regulations apply to livestock in slaughterhouses: mandatory stunning, maximum waiting times, veterinary supervision. These standards do not apply to wildlife shot by hobby hunters.
The capacity to suffer of a wild animal is identical to that of a livestock animal. The fact that the killing takes place in the forest is no reason for reduced protection. The uncontrolled conditions in recreational hunting significantly increase the risk of unnecessary suffering.