Petition: An end to animal cruelty in Spreitenbach

The Umwelt Arena sees itself as a place that conveys sustainable lifestyles, ecological responsibility and future-oriented solutions.

A fair that promotes hunting and trophy culture as attractive leisure activities conflicts with these guiding values. From our point of view, it is not compatible to present practices that may be associated with considerable animal suffering in a facility that stands for environmental education.

Events such as the Terra Expo (1 February, 3 May, 9 August, 8 November 2026) are also associated with real animal suffering: exotic animals are confined in tiny plastic boxes, with no opportunity to retreat, under stress, fear and pain. Many die prematurely from improper husbandry. Animals are not merchandise! At such exchanges and fairs, it is not the welfare of the animals that takes centre stage, but profit accompanied by animal cruelty. We demand a ban on such exchanges that violate animal welfare. Animal shelters and rescue stations are overcrowded with exotic animals, partly because of such exchanges, as many keepers are overwhelmed.

We are convinced that the Umwelt Arena, as well as the municipality of Spreitenbach, hold an important role-model function in matters of animal and nature conservation. Rejecting such events would be a clear signal of a responsible, contemporary and ethically grounded stance.

We call on the Umwelt Arena and the municipality of Spreitenbach:

• No stage for a culture of violence and animal cruelty!
• No more space for hunting and animal exchange events!

Join in and set a clear example.

Call on the government to respect children's rights.

You can also email the petition text to a politician or a party of your choice yourself.

Dear decision-makers

To the municipality of Spreitenbach and the Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach

Dear Sir or Madam,

we, the undersigned, hereby call on you not to approve the planned hunting fair on 7–8 March 2026 at the Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach and, in future, not to permit any events that present hunting, trophy culture and animal suffering as leisure entertainment.

However, the criticism is directed not only at the hunting fair itself, but also at the Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach, which repeatedly provides a platform for events that run counter to animal welfare. These include terraristics exchanges, at which exotic animals are presented in cramped plastic boxes and sold to unprepared buyers.

At fairs and markets of this kind, the welfare of the animals is not the priority, but rather profit through animal cruelty.

Reasoning:

The event sells leisure-time or hobby hunting as «culture» or «tradition», even though it is incompatible with animal suffering and ethical responsibility.

There are hardly any scientifically justified reasons to hunt carrion crows, badgers, foxes, domestic cats or brown hares, for example. They are killed not out of necessity, but for fun.

The fair symbolically stands for a culture of violence and killing that distorts the relationship between humans, animals and nature: instead of protection and respect, hunting is portrayed as entertainment.

The Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach has shown itself to be responsible as a venue for such hunting- and animal-market-related events.

Wildlife protection and nature conservation require approaches such as education, voluntary work, monitoring or observation – not mass events that promote a cult of hunting and trophies.

The freedom of nature needs protected spaces, not a staging of hobby hunting. The municipality of Spreitenbach can take on a role-model function here.

Our demands:

No hosting of the hunting fair at the Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach.

No future renting of rooms for hunting or animal-market events that trivialise or glorify animal suffering.

A clear municipal signal that nature and animal protection in Spreitenbach are not compatible with weapons or a trophy cult.

By signing this petition, you send a clear signal for ethics, respect and the protection of wild animals, and against their portrayal as objects of sport or consumption.

We thank you for your attention and hope for your support.

Kind regards

Your signature

Pick up the phone too and tell those responsible personally what I think of it: «I find it unacceptable that a hunting fair takes place at the Umwelt Arena that sells the killing of animals as a leisure pastime. Please no longer host this event. Please stop renting out rooms for hunting events and animal markets such as the Terra Expo. Exotic animals do not belong in plastic boxes on sales tables, but in their natural habitat.»

Call the Spreitenbach municipal administration and the Umwelt Arena and demand a clear decision against such events. Friendly in tone, unmistakable on the matter.

Further information:

• Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach