Animal and Law - Q&A's

Animal and Law - The Susy Utzinger Animal Welfare Foundation (SUST) answers questions from animal owners, animal lovers and interested parties in an easy-to-understand manner.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at: info@susyutzinger.ch

Dogs - Q&A's

My neighbor's dog barks all the time, what can I do?

My dog bit someone, what happens now?

My landlord has verbally agreed to let me keep a dog. Now, after I have my dog already 6 months, I was forbidden in writing to keep a dog in this property. Is this allowed?

My neighbor's dog is extremely fat. Is this animal cruelty?

My dog was slightly injured at the shelter/daycare - who has to pay the veterinary costs?

I discovered a dog in a parked car - isn't that animal cruelty?

My neighbor's dog is always chained - is that legal?

How do I clarify which countries I am allowed to travel to with my dog? And whether I come back to Switzerland?

What is the process of importing dogs?

How many dogs may I keep?

Where does animal cruelty begin?

Muzzle and leash obligation: When applies what?

Walks - how often and how long do I need to walk my dog?

Cats - Q&A's

My cat was injured by a dog, who pays the costs?

Am I allowed to feed the neighbor's cat?

In unserem Quartier hat es heimatlose Katzen, was kann ich tun?

The neighbor's cat is locked out during the whole day and cannot enter the house while its owners are at work. There is no cat door and no shelter for the animal. is this animal-friendly?

Other Animals - Q&A's

A donkey living with horses – is that enough?

Am I allowed to keep a single rabbit?

Reptiles: Do they need holding permits & expert opinions?

Are rabbits and hares the same?

Birds: Do they need owner inspections & holding permits?

I found an injured fox, can I take it to a clinic?

Am I allowed to throw fish into the toilet?

My cleaner released my budgies by mistake, what can I do?

Q&A's in general

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For which species do I need a permit?

The Animal Protection Act (TSchG) and the Animal Protection Ordinance (TSchV) regulate the keeping and breeding of pets and wild animals.
The owner of the animal is responsible for its welfare. This includes, in particular, providing the animal with the most appropriate care and environment possible so that it can fulfill its species-specific needs.
Keeping wild animals often requires a permit. In the case of wild animals, there is a particular risk that their welfare will be severely impaired if they are not kept properly. The private keeping of many wild animals is only permitted with the permission of the cantonal veterinary office. The wild animals for which a keeping permit is required are listed in the TschV. These include all wild mammals, with the exception of native insectivores and small rodents such as hamsters or guinea pigs. A permit is also required for keeping iguanas, chameleons, poisonous snakes, giant snakes more than three meters long or fish that can grow more than one meter long in the wild. The cantons can also declare the keeping of particularly dangerous animals to be subject to approval for safety police reasons.
It is required that the animals are kept in an appropriate manner and that the accommodation complies with the legal requirements in terms of size, shelter and feeding places. The keeping permit can also be linked to conditions and requirements regarding the type of animal, number of animals, keeping, feeding, care or veterinary care. Furthermore, whoever keeps an animal that requires a permit must usually complete a training course, the extent of which depends on how demanding the keeping of the species in question is.