Man Kills Snake, Goes to Jail
In Switzerland, animals have it better
Photo by Emirates 24/7
Kill a snake in America, and you’re likely to be considered a hero. Try it in Switzerland, and you’re likely to be arrested.
A Saudi man on vacation there expected to be applauded when he killed a snake in a Swiss park. According to a report in the Arabic language daily Sharq, he was with other tourists when he saw the snake on the ground, grabbed a rock and crushed her head.
Bystanders promptly called the police who arrested him and charged him with killing a rare snake.
They told him he should have called an animal welfare group instead of just killing the animal.
Switzerland has some of the toughest animal welfare laws in the world on its books.
A 2008 law made it illegal for social animals, like pigs, goldfish, horses and other social animals to be kept alone. Cows must have regular exercise outside in summer and winter, and courses on animal welfare are obligatory – dog owners must learn about pet care and anglers about compassion.
And last year, Swiss voters almost passed a proposal to introduce a system of state-funded lawyers to represent animals in courts.