Animal welfare in breeding
Anyone who breeds animals must take care to ensure they are healthy. This page provides information on training and licensing requirements and on the rules for breeding livestock and pets.
Breeders must not cause animals pain, suffering, or harm resulting from the breeding goal being pursued. They must not fundamentally change the animal’s appearance or abilities.
Breeding and exhibition ban for unauthorised breeds
Breeding goals should aim to produce healthy animals. Anyone wishing to breed animals must obtain sufficient information beforehand about hereditary problems of parent animals and offspring.
Animals suspected of having characteristics or symptoms that may lead to moderate or severe strain must be examined by a specialist before mating. The FSVO Ordinance on the Protection of Animals in Breeding describes the exact procedure for evaluating strain.
Breeders must not use animals with high levels of strain for breeding. They must also ensure that no mating takes place that produces offspring with high levels of strain.
Animals that are bred on the basis of inadmissible breeding goals may not be exhibited (Art. 30a para. 4 let. b AniWO).
Art. 30a para. 4 let. b AniPO Duties of persons involved
Licensing and training requirements for the commercial breeding of pets
Anyone who breeds pets commercially needs a cantonal licence from the responsible veterinary office.
The breeding conditions and health of the parent animals play a decisive role in determining the normal development of the young. Breeders must ensure they are aware of and meet the feeding and housing requirements of the animals they breed. They must take targeted preventative action – to prevent both genetic defects and infectious diseases – and they must be aware of suitable measures.
List of addresses of cantonal veterinary offices
Avoiding excessive reproduction
Some species of pet can reproduce to such an extent that the people keeping the animals can no longer house, feed or care for them in an appropriate way. Breeders must therefore prevent excessive reproduction of animals.
Wild animal hybrids
The Animal Protection Ordinance prohibits the specific crossing of domestic dogs and cats with wild animals.
Wild animal hybrids are crosses between domestic and wild animals. They are often sold as primitive dog breeds or exotic cats. Over thousands of years, domestic dogs and cats have adapted well to living with humans. Selective breeding has given rise to many breeds.
For animal welfare reasons, cross-breeding with wild animals to produce new animal types is not justifiable. Keeping such hybrids is particularly demanding and is not usually possible for private animal keepers.