Our commitment
Whether we keep animals ourselves, observe them, or use their products – there are a number of encounters with animals throughout everyday life. As animals are beings capable of suffering and incapable of standing for their rights themselves, we humans bear a great responsibility to ensure their welfare.
Animals need help
As Zurich Animal Protection, we feel a special obligation to raise our voices for animals. Being one of the oldest animal protection organizations in Europe, we have been standing up for animals since 1856.
Where we engage
With our animal shelter, we mainly focus on the care and placement of homeless pets. However, since the welfare of all animals is a matter close to our hearts, we are also committed to protect farm animals, wildlife, laboratory animals, and fur-bearing animals.
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Pets
In our shelter, we look after approximately 400 animals every year. It is our goal to find them a new caring home. In addition, we aim to promote a loving relationship between people and animals. Therefore, we provide information on keeping a pet, providing care, and training a pet non-violently.
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Wildlife
Zurich Animal Protection supports organizations protecting birds, hedgehogs, and bats. Furthermore, we participate in selected projects for the promotion of and research on wildlife. Besides, we endeavour to preserve natural habitats and restore biodiversity around our shelter.
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Farm animals
In Switzerland, millions of farm animals suffer from inadequate husbandry, fear, and pain. We highlight these injustices and aim to campaign for tighter legislation. To improve the living conditions of farm animals, we sensitize people to animal-friendly husbandry, respectful treatment, and responsible consumption.
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Fur-bearing animals
All around the world fur-bearing animals suffer in small cages or brutal traps on account of the fashion industry. With our campaign "echt Pelz – echt grausam" [real fur – really cruel] we were able to convince numerous fashion houses to ban real fur. However, we strive further to prevent fur imports at a political level.
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Laboratory animals
Every year thousands of laboratory animals experience painful conditions and stressful interventions. Through education, participation in committees, and political work, we advocate alternative methods. Our vision is a world without animal testing.
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Youth Animal Protection
The future belongs to the children. Therefore, we encourage a loving relationship between them and animals through our youth animal protection program for schools and families. With the program, we enable children to get to know and protect animals.
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Consulting
Every year we respond to numerous inquiries by phone or email. Furthermore, we provide a wide range of information on keeping a pet and animal welfare issues.
Contact us:
Email: info@zuerchertierschutz.ch
Telephone “Zurich Animal Protection”: 044 261 97 14 (Mon.–Thu.)
Telephone “Zurich Animal Hospital”: 044 635 83 43 (Mon.–Fri.)
Contact form for legal inquiries
Contact form for inquiries on keeping a pet, behavior and health -
Wrongdoings towards animals
Have you witnessed any wrongdoing towards an animal? Then report it to us. Whenever we learn of negligence or cruelty, we become active – no matter which animal species. We aim to clarify the situation on-site (Canton of Zurich) and advise those responsible for the misdeed. It often is not any bad intention but the lack of knowledge that caused the wrongdoing.
We urge you to call the police in a critical situation where the life of an animal might be at stake.
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Animal emergencies
We kindly ask you to report foundlings or injured animals to the following offices:
- Found animals:
reporting office (Canton of Zurich), 0848 848 244, or our animal shelter - Injured animals (Region of Zurich):
Animal Rescue Service, 044 211 22 22 - Found and injured animals (Switzerland):
veterinary practices, cantonal veterinary office, or the police - Road accidents including animals:
alert rangers or police
- Found animals: