Switzerland Ramps Up Horse Traceability Laws

To better manage disease outbreaks, Swiss owners must now register horses and report movement to officials.
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While all European Union member nations require that horse owners or caretakers have their animals officially identified by electronic microchip, Switzerland has gone a step further. In order to better manage disease outbreaks, Swiss owners must now register horses and report movement and other significant status changes to federal officials.

This means that every time a horse moves to a different stable or changes owners, an official notification must be made to the Animal Tracing Database (BDTA).

Short-term movements (lasting less than 30 days) do not need to be reported, said Colette Schmid, project leader in the Division of Animal Production and Breeding in the Federal Office of Agriculture. But owners must notify officials when their horses are imported or exported, castrated, and when the horse dies or is euthanized.

Equally importantly, owners must inform the BDTA when they change the horse’s official "use status." In Switzerland, all horses are born with the "livestock" use status—meaning their meat can be supplied to the food chain. Owners can choose to officially change the horse’s status to “pet,” however this decision is irreversible and can have significant consequences, the BDTA website states

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Passionate about horses and science from the time she was riding her first Shetland Pony in Texas, Christa Lesté-Lasserre writes about scientific research that contributes to a better understanding of all equids. After undergrad studies in science, journalism, and literature, she received a master’s degree in creative writing. Now based in France, she aims to present the most fascinating aspect of equine science: the story it creates. Follow Lesté-Lasserre on Twitter @christalestelas.

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