Look on the Bright Side... (There is a Bright Side!)

Well, it's official. In Switzerland's animal rights referendum, 70 percent of voters voted "no" on a measure that would assign lawyers to protect abused animals. If you do the math, that means that 30 percent of voters supported it.

It was probably too good to be true.

But when you think about it, it's amazing that such a referendum even made it to the ballot. It speaks so highly of the Swiss.

No point in getting discouraged. Switzerland still has extremely tough laws that protect animals. Just the fact that its citizens were able to vote on such a referendum sets an important precedent. The next time a similar referendum comes up - either in Switzerland or a different country - it won't be quite so unusual.

Meanwhile, those who inflict excessive cruelty on animals face very stiff punishments in Switzerland. Of how many countries in the world can that be said?

(Note: Antoine Goetschel, attorney and Zurich's leading animal advocate, is pictured here with a friend.)

From the "You Gotta Love It!" Department: What's Next in Switzerland? Probably Attorneys for Animals!

Thanks to animal rights activists, there is a measure on the ballot in an upcoming election in Switzerland to decide if animals should be allowed legal representation in Swiss courts.

Yes, you heard right, Blog pals. Animals might end up with lawyers representing them in Swiss court cases!

If the referendum is approved in March, it will be a major triumph for animal rights activists.

Switzerland is already way ahead of most countries when it comes to animal rights. The country passed a law last year that recognized the rights of animals. Even guinea pigs, canaries and goldfish now have rights in Switzerland!

Lawyer Antoine Goetschel (pictured above, with a client!) has pushed hard for the law, which is opposed by farmers' associations, breeders and some in government. As Goetschel put it, "Humans accused of animal cruelty can hire a lawyer or get one assigned but animals can't. Which is where I come in." (Source)

Animal abuse laws are very strict in Switzerland. Goetschel tells the story of police busting down the doors of a house where a man was accused of beating his spouse. Not only was the man charged with wife-beating, but when the police noticed a solitary caged canary in the house, they also stuck the chump with an animal abuse charge because the bird looked lonely!

How cool is that?

Tough? Yes. Hell, if my family lived in Switzerland, we might get punished because our bearded dragon lives alone. But is it such a bad thing to overcompensate for generations and generations of animal abuse being overlooked? I don't think so.

Let's hope the referendum passes in Switzerland, if - for no other reason - than it would be great to see Antoine Goetschel become a Perry Mason for pets, a Clarence Darrow for donkeys, a Johnnie Cochran for cats!!!