Switzerland: 60’000 cases of cruel reptile keeping
Reptiles are popular pets in Switzerland.
Their keeping is regulated by law. However, a large number of violations exist, as research by the Swiss Animal Protection STS has revealed: across Switzerland, more than 60’000 cases of cruel and therefore criminal reptile keeping are assumed to exist. A new online tool provides a remedy: the legal minimum requirements and the enclosure sizes and furnishings recommended by the STS are available quickly and easily at tierhaltungsrechner.ch
Reptiles are kept in 3.5% of Swiss households in total, amounting to around 132’000 households with at least one reptile. By far the most commonly kept reptiles are Greek tortoises, corn snakes, and leopard geckos. In 2020, Swiss Animal Protection STS conducted an anonymous online survey on reptile keeping in Switzerland — with alarming results: in nearly half of the 97 reptile-keeping situations analyzed, indications of at least one violation of Swiss animal protection legislation were found. When the results are extrapolated to the total number of reptile-keeping households in Switzerland, more than 60,000 cases of cruel and therefore criminal reptile keeping must be assumed nationwide.
Many animal owners are unaware of the minimum requirements
The most frequently identified deficiencies related to climatic conditions. In one third of the enclosures, temperature and/or humidity are not measured. These parameters are crucial for the health of cold-blooded reptiles and must be known to every reptile keeper. The enclosure size did not even meet the minimum requirements of animal welfare legislation in one quarter of the enclosures. Reptiles need light. In addition to good general lighting, many species also require ultraviolet light (UV-A and UV-B), otherwise they will become ill over time. One third of the enclosures had to be flagged for inadequate UV lighting. Many keepers are unaware that there are legally binding regulations for keeping reptiles. These represent only minimum standards and are by no means a guarantee of animal-friendly husbandry. Truly animal-friendly conditions would need to be considerably more generous.
Online tool provides a remedy
The Swiss Animal Protection STS has, with the support of the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), developed an online tool that allows users to quickly and easily calculate not only the required enclosure sizes for rodents and rabbits, but now also those for reptiles — both the legally prescribed minimum requirements and the enclosure sizes recommended by the STS.
The duty to provide information must finally be implemented consistently
Overall, the STS survey shows that there is an urgent need for education at the national level regarding the species-appropriate keeping of reptiles. There needs to be consistent implementation of the legally required duty to provide information, whereby commercial providers (breeders, dealers, enclosure sellers) must inform buyers about the animals' needs and the legal requirements. Private animal keepers have a responsibility to familiarise themselves thoroughly with the animals' needs beforehand — especially with reptiles, whose care is also technically demanding. Impulse purchases must be avoided in all cases.
