Criminal complaint against National Council President Aebi

Animal welfare organisations file a criminal complaint against the auctioneer of a livestock auction in the Basel region.

Cattle dragged through the arena by a nose ring

Switzerland's highest-ranking official, National Council President Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE), has been a livestock auctioneer — known in Swiss German as a “Gantrufer” — for over 25 years. This summer, too, Aebi was present at an auction in Langenbruck BL. Now a criminal complaint for animal cruelty has been filed against the National Council President.

Olivier Bieli of «Basel Animal Save» writes in a statement that a head of cattle was mistreated at the auction. It had been “dragged across the arena by an invasively placed nose ring through the nasal septum, its face contorted in pain” — even though a halter had been fitted to the animal, which could have been used to lead it without causing pain.

Violation of the Animal Welfare Act

It was “completely incomprehensible” that Andreas Aebi had not intervened. Instead, he had continued to urge customers to bid as high as possible. Bieli has filed a criminal complaint against both Andreas Aebi and the unknown auction assistant. Both had violated the Animal Welfare Act, he says.

It is not in the Act itself, but in the Animal Welfare Ordinance, that prohibited actions concerning animal species are set out in detail. Prohibited, for example, is “the use of animals for public display when this is clearly associated with pain, suffering, or harm to the animal».

For cattle, “invasive procedures on the nasal septum” are also prohibited. The situation is different for bulls: from 18 months of age, they are required by law to wear a nose ring. However, they may not, for example, be tethered by the ring.

According to available documents, the animal in question may be an approximately 14-month-old bull. According to the Animal Welfare Act constitutes animal cruelty and is punishable by a custodial sentence of up to three years or a fine.

Aebi enjoys immunity as a member of the National Council; a criminal investigation would only be possible if this immunity were lifted.