Veterinarians demand: treat wildlife without bureaucracy
Veterinarians are only permitted to treat wildlife with prior authorization. National Councillor Schneider calls for an amendment to the Hunting Act.
Authorization required before emergency treatment
Veterinarians are wildlife only permitted to treat in an emergency if they have obtained prior authorization.
National Councillor Meret Schneider (Greens/ZH) wants to remedy this: she demands from the Federal Council in a motion, the Hunting Act to be amended accordingly. The Swiss Veterinary Society (GST) supports this motion.
Autumn is hedgehog season
Autumn is hedgehog season: very often, private individuals are currently bringing weakened or injured hedgehogs from their garden or the roadside to a veterinary practice. Even when a hedgehog requires immediate medical attention, veterinarians are only permitted to treat wildlife after having first obtained authorization. Outside of office hours, this is often difficult to arrange.
GST has been advocating for years
The Swiss Veterinary Society (GST) has been advocating for this cause for years. The amendment to the Hunting Ordinance in 2020 was intended to finally clarify the legal situation in this matter. However, because the Hunting Act was rejected, the planned revision of the Hunting Ordinance was taken off the table.
The GST hopes that the present motion will finally make a legislative amendment possible, for the benefit of wildlife in Switzerland!
