Is it illegal to own one guinea pig in Switzerland?
Yes. Swiss animal welfare law says guinea pigs may not be kept alone: you need at least two. A human or a rabbit does not count as company.
Ep. 4 · Ding or Clonk? · 49 seconds. Watch
The real rule
Why the Swiss laugh, and what it means if you're new here.
It sounds like a joke, but it is the law. Guinea pigs are social animals, and the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance requires contact with their own kind, so the federal office says: never keep one alone. As a newcomer with children who want a pet, plan for two from the start.
Blüemli's verdict: Ding. True. Guinea pigs may not be kept alone. They need at least one other guinea pig.
GSPÄNLI: literally: “little companion”; really: a buddy Ueli's Word
Be like Ueli. Never just one.
Learn more: Swiss Mythos
The rule, explained
Guinea pigs are social animals, and Swiss law takes that literally. The Animal Welfare Ordinance (TSchV, Art. 13) says animals of social species must have appropriate contact with their own kind. The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV) spells it out for guinea pigs: they may not be kept individually; keep at least two. A human does not replace a second guinea pig, and neither does a rabbit. So if you take one home, you take two.
Sources: BLV, Meerschweinchen; Tierschutzverordnung (TSchV) Art. 13, via Tier im Recht; Duden, Gspänli
Questions people ask
Can you keep a guinea pig with a rabbit in Switzerland?
A rabbit is not a substitute. The guinea pig still needs at least one other guinea pig (BLV).
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