DENISE LACHAT Switzerland’s most popular pet is – the fish. Not the cat, as most people tend to assume; in terms of numbers, the fish takes top spot, as the animal welfare organisation Schweizer Tierschutz (STS) is well aware. The exact number of fish swimming around the country’s private aquariums is unknown. But it must be quite high. After all the cat, Switzerland’s number two pet, will soon number two million. The dog comes in at number three on half a million. Need for nature However, another animal is gaining ground in the popularity stakes. And it isn’t the usual cuddly furball either (although nor is the fish, to be fair). Enter the chicken. That’s right – the Swiss now like to keep chickens: an estimated 70,000 private households have chickens as pets and their popularity is growing. “More and more people want chickens. That may well have something to do with the Covid pandemic,” says Sarah Camenisch, spokesperson of the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO). No-one knows exactly why chickens are in such high demand; however, Camenisch suspects it has something to do with a growing yearning for nature. General Covid surveys tell us that the Swiss felt increasingly drawn to nature during the pandemic. Shops, Switzerland’s latest pet craze sees demand for chickens soar The evolution of chickens from farm animal to pet is gaining momentum. Tens of thousands of private gardens now have chicken coops. This has prompted a response from the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office. restaurants, schools, gyms and ski areas were all closed. So, people suddenly had time for walks in nature, baking bread and buying fresh vegetables straight from the farm instead. Many people also acquired dogs and cats during the pandemic to combat the loneliness of working and studying from home. Another factor behind the chicken’s evolution from farm to domestic animal, writes Samuel Furrer, zoologist and head of the STS wild animals department, is that consumers increasingly want to know the origin of their food and how it is produced. What better way to know than keeping your own animal? “Some people slaughter and eat their chickens,” Photo: iStockphoto Higher, farther, faster, more beautiful? In search of somewhat unconventional Swissrecords. This edition: Switzerland’s latest “in” domestic animal Swiss Review / January 2024 / No.1 9 Report
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