Question

Claim: Owning only 1 guinea pig in Switzerland is illegal.

Comments

Yes, it is illegal to own a single guinea pig in Switzerland. Swiss law requires that social animals like guinea pigs must be kept in pairs or groups to ensure their well-being, as they are highly social creatures and can suffer from loneliness if kept alone. This regulation is part of Switzerland's animal welfare laws, which aim to provide a better quality of life for pets.
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/culture/loo-flushing-explosives-gold_fact-check-lonely-guinea-pigs-and-other-quirky-swiss-rumours/45067078

Answer 1

This is true, it's due to Switzerland’s Animal Protection Ordinance that classifies guinea pigs as 'social animals', and therefore they must have social contact with other guinea pigs.

Source: https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/01/laws-involving-animals-real-and-mythical/

Comments

I found the first part of the URL to be misleading, but the use of the .gov and the origin of the publication from the Library of Congress reassured me of the website's validity.

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Initially I saw the "blogs" portion of the URL and thought this was not a great source, but I looked into the author of the article, and I think this is actually valid. It's also on the library of congress website.

Answer 2

This is true, according to a source i found on the Library of Congress, it states that “Swiss law designates guinea pigs as social creatures; under article 13 of Switzerland’s Animal Protection Ordinance” and further goes on to explain that because they are considered “social creatures” they must be given adequate social contact with the animals of the same species (meaning they need a friend or two)

the link i found is here! 

https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/01/laws-involving-animals-real-and-mythical/

Comments

I was skeptical at first becasue it looks like you used a blog site, however, with further examintation it is 100% true! Library of Congress is an amazing and reliable siting choice that teachers and students offen use.

Answer 3

According to this 2020 article from the New York post, Switzerland has many laws to protect their animals. The law is in place to keep the social animals entertained and not alone. Failing to have at least 2 will end up in breaking the law and is considered animal abuse. 

https://nypost.com/2020/05/13/why-its-illegal-to-own-only-one-guinea-pig-in-switzerland/

Not misinformation! 

Comments

Although the reasoning for why it is illegal to only own one guinea pig in Switzerland is expanded on, the fact's validity does seem a bit questionable based on the link of the website given since it is a New York post article that refers to another article and not a different publication such as a government website.

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Great fact-check It would be even stronger if you added more details on the specific laws on why they have them for social animals and the negatives if the animals are actually to be alone. Maybe give details on when the laws became in use and what other countries also have similar laws for animals.

Answer 4

it is illegal to own just one guinea pig due to animal welfare laws since guinea pigs are social creatures that need company. Owning just one guinea pig can cause stress for the animal. You can also rent a guinea pig under the unfortunate event that one of your guinea pigs dies. https://abcnews.go.com/International/rent-guinea-pig-service-takes-off-switzerland/story?id=14573692

Answer 5

It is illegal to own a single Guinea pig in Switzerland because they are social animals and need companionship. To thrive to prevent loneliness and ensure their well-being Swiss law mandates that guinea pigs must be kept in pairs or groups. it is considered animal abuse.

Not misinformation.

https://nypost.com/2020/05/13/why-its-illegal-to-own-only-one-guinea-pig-in-switzerland/

Comments

As an explanation for the prohibition of owning a single guinea pig in Switzerland is elaborated, the legitimacy of the information appears to be questionable due to the website link provided, which leads to a New York Post article referencing another article rather than a government website. Could you research more into the NY Post article and the sources they got their information from to be more accurate?

Answer 6

This appears to be true. According to the Library of Congress (LOC), Switzerland's Animal Protection Ordinance article 13 states that social animals (such as guinea pigs) "must be given adequate social contact with animals of the same species". Meaning that not having more than one is breaking the law. 

https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/01/laws-involving-animals-real-and-mythical/