Formation of the professional association "Verband Arbeitswelt Tierschutz Schweiz" (Association Working Environment Animal Welfare Switzerland)

Anyone who is involved in animal welfare, whether professionally or privately, is often referred to as a layman, do-man of good standing, extremist, self-proclaimed, emotional or even radical. Also "animal welfarists", e. g. if they are active in an authority, are placed in the media or on the part of the animal user federations always opposite the "specialists". This is entirely unjustifiably, because nowadays most of the people working in the field of animal welfare have a sound, often academic education combined with many years of professional experience and thus bring along specialized animal welfare expertise.

The main objective of the Association Working Environment Animal Welfare Switzerland is therefore to establish the occupational profile of "Specialist in Animal Welfare" and to promote the professionalisation of this profession. The association coordinates and promotes the professional and further training of professionals in the field of animal welfare. It is anxious to make the occupation specialist animal protection well-known and thus for the occupation people an improvement of the employment possibilities on the job market to achieve.

Further information can be found at www.vats.ch.

For further questions please contact us:
Susy Utzinger, Susy Utzinger Foundation for Animal Welfare, 052 202 69 69, aufklaerung@susyutzinger.ch
Dr. Gieri Bolliger, Foundation for the Animal in Law, 043 443 443 06 43, bolliger@tierimrecht.org
Bernhard Trachsel, Kompanima, 043 255 02 80 (8.30-10.00h), btrachsel@kompanima.ch