Swiss vote down lawyers for animals

Switzerland has voted against assigning lawyers to defend animals in court cases.

The Swiss Animal Protection Group says unlike humans, animals have no rights and cannot prosecute people who cause them harm.

The group initiated a Swiss referendum on whether a law in the Zurich region – which requires lawyers be named for animals during court cases – be extended to the rest of the country.

But 70 per cent of voters have defeated the idea.

Switzerland already has comprehensive animal rights laws. People cannot flush a live goldfish down the toilet: it must be knocked out, killed and then its body disposed of.

Household pets like birds and hamsters cannot be left alone in cages and even sheep and goats must at least be able to see their fellows.

The lawyers-for-animals poll is the latest example of Switzerland's “direct democracy” in which any citizen who collects 100,000 signatures from eligible voters can force a nationwide referendum on their chosen cause.