From Overlooked to Unmissable: A Voice for Invisible Animals

Just over a year ago, we launched the “Invisible Animals” campaign. Through our petition – which we aimed to give a voice to pigeons, rats, bees and fish – we gathered 34,970 signatures. The response sent a strong message: these animals should not be ignored. As a follow-up, we worked with members of parliament and allied organizations to determine how we can advocate most effectively for the interests of these animals.

The non-human animals we classify as “invisible animals” share one thing in common: their interests are completely overlooked in political decision-making. Pigeons and rats are often seen as “ dirty ” or labeled as “ pests ”. Bees and fish are denied fundamental dignity because of their appearance or role in society. This neglect results in immense suffering : sick pigeons lie lifeless on our streets, rats die agonizing deaths from rodenticides, pesticides rob bees of their navigation abilities, and fish are confined in aquaculture tanks under conditions that would be deemed unacceptable, even in intensive farming. We believe that these animals deserve more attention, consideration and protection.

The support of nearly 35,000 people has strengthened our efforts and increased the pressure we can apply to political decision-makers.

In light of the current political climate and the makeup of Parliament, sustained pressure on decision-makers is essential, as advancing the interests of non-human animals has become increasingly challenging. A great deal of energy must currently be devoted to protecting the progress already achieved, which leaves little room for new initiatives.

Thanks to our community and collaboration with Fair-Fish and MP Ueli Schmezer, we were able to submit a parliamentary motion calling on the Swiss Federal Council to provide data on the current state of fish welfare in aquaculture. Their response will offer essential insights to guide our next steps.

When it comes to pigeons, bees, and rats, we are still in the process of evaluating the most effective and politically viable avenues for intervention. Each of these species presents unique challenges, both in terms of public perception, and of the current legal and regulatory landscape. At this stage, we have chosen not to submit national-level proposals on their behalf, as doing so prematurely could risk undermining the impact of future efforts.

Instead, we are focusing on gathering further data, building cross-sector support, as well as identifying the most strategic entry points. We remain in close contact with our parliamentary allies, Anna Rosenwasser and Delphine Klopfenstein, and are prepared to act swiftly when the conditions for meaningful progress are met.

It is only thanks to the support of so many people that we can stay true to our commitment to place animals’ interests at the center of society — and we are extremely grateful to be able to count on you for that. As always, we will keep you informed of future developments via our newsletter.