Sentience
Why Politics Must Extend Beyond Our Own Species
Why do our laws, institutions and policies still revolve mostly around one species – our own?
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.
When Science Meets Policy: A Milestone for Animal Sentience
The LSE is launching a pioneering Centre for Animal Sentience, led by Prof. Jonathan Birch. At Sentience, we welcome this vital step—proof that science and policy must meet to put the concept of sentience at the heart of decision-making.
Fish farming: the invisible crisis we can no longer ignore
For the World Day of the End of Fishing and Fish Farming, we are called to confront the hidden suffering of billions of fish, as well as the urgent need for a transformative approach to aquaculture.
2024 Annual Report
The year 2024 marked a pivotal moment for our organisation. Despite limited human and financial resources, and thanks to the commitment of the entire team, we managed to lay solid foundations that now allow us to look forward to a motivating...
Migros’ Decision to Weaken Animal Welfare Standards: A Step Backward for Ethics and Sustainability
Migros recently announced that imported meat products will not have to meet Swiss animal welfare standards anymore. This move marks a significant setback.
In 2025, we are letting the pigs out! 🐷
We are launching a new federal popular initiative demanding outdoor access for all animals in agriculture. This new initiative has the potential to shape the discourse in Switzerland for years to come.
In December, every donation counts twice
From now until the end of December, every donation will be doubled by generous donors — up to a total of 50,000 CHF. This means 10 CHF becomes 20 CHF, and 50 CHF becomes 100 CHF.
Sonoma County’s Measure J: Echoes of Switzerland’s Factory Farming Vote
Recent animal welfare initiatives in Sonoma County, CA, and Switzerland highlight the resilience of grassroots efforts in challenging entrenched interests and promoting more ethical standards.
END preprogrammed suffering: together for Swiss broiler chickens
Coop, Migros, it is high time that we talk. Between the two of you, you are responsible for nearly 80% of meat sales in Switzerland. You therefore bear a critical responsibility for the alarming growth of the poultry industry. The number of...
Logbook : the life of an intensively farmed chicken
A broiler chicken’s weight increases 33 times over its short life. In Switzerland, nearly 80 million broiler chickens are slaughtered each year, 92% of which are raised in intensive aviculture. Their suffering is pre-programmed, encoded in their...
Actions, not words: Help us end preprogrammed suffering NOW!
8 percent of chickens ever see the light of day during their lives. Worse, 92 percent of all chickens belong to so-called “high-performance breeds”, where suffering is genetically preprogrammed. Coop and Migros have the power to stop this trend.
The “invisible” animals need your help
Acknowledging the capacity for suffering as a crucial moral criterion is the core concern of Sentience. Therefore, we aim to give a voice to those animals whose well-being receives no attention in our society - the “invisible” animals.
We need a strong counterweight
The significant gains made by the agricultural lobby in the parliamentary elections of autumn 2023 pushed sustainable Swiss agriculture with location-adapted food production even further into the distant future.
Annual Report 2023
The landmark votes on the Primate Initiative and the Initiative to Abolish Factory Farming in 2022 sparked significant attention and much-needed discussions. Last year, we were able to build on this momentum and advance our vision with broad support.