View Full Version : Switzerland defends the rights of goldfish
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122359549477921201.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3818457.ece
I have nothing against animal rights, I think it's good that they try and make animals happy and keep them safe and such but I think Switzerland has gone overboard on this.
I couldn't figure out if they already have passed the plant rights, that makes more sense then gold fish one.
What are your thoughts on these measures that Switzerland is taking, this is the one part that bugs me to no end; And a word of warning for those planning a mercy killing for their goldfish: special chemicals will be required “to put them to death”.
Flushing them down the loo is no longer an option
Conipto
12-03-2008, 5:46 PM
Frankly I think it's bullcrap. Recently I heard about an organization (it had a really stupid acronym, but I can't quite remember it) that petitioned several dairy companies to begin using human breast milk rather than milk from animals. I'll point out that the method they planned to use (which was to require nursing women to donate a certain amount of milk for every bit that went to their child) takes away from human rights. Honestly, it's gone too far already if people are wanting to steal from babies so that some filthy animal who, in modern times, would have no place in any ecosystem, can produce more milk than necessary for its calf.
Arielcz
12-03-2008, 5:55 PM
How will they keep track of how you kill your goldfish anyway?
blacksurge
12-03-2008, 5:56 PM
Frankly I think it's bullcrap. Recently I heard about an organization (it had a really stupid acronym, but I can't quite remember it) that petitioned several dairy companies to begin using human breast milk rather than milk from animals. I'll point out that the method they planned to use (which was to require nursing women to donate a certain amount of milk for every bit that went to their child) takes away from human rights. Honestly, it's gone too far already if people are wanting to steal from babies so that some filthy animal who, in modern times, would have no place in any ecosystem, can produce more milk than necessary for its calf.
That was PETA
They could make you lisence your fish, then when you flush it down the toilet they'd know it was missing, which could just lead people to pulling fish out of the tanks to suffocate them with air, which would be far more inhumane.
Ureshii
12-03-2008, 6:00 PM
How will they keep track of how you kill your goldfish anyway?
A special taskforce would scrutinise waste water settling ponds for trace amounts of goldfish and then subsequently track down the former owner(s) by means of forensic science.
_Atheistic_
12-03-2008, 6:02 PM
That is going way to far, to the point of ridiculousness. I, being a envionmentalist, completely back-up efforts to stop animal cruelty and the such (this doesn't include the consumption of animals, I fucking love meat). This however is going completely overboard.
I couldn't figure out if they already have passed the plant rights, that makes more sense then gold fish one.
How could these rights even be accepted? I can't even begin to imagine that people would actually find these propositions important.
How will they keep track of how you kill your goldfish anyway?
Or they could put chips into the animals skin like they do with dogs and such in cities.
Another over the top animal rights philosopher that we studied about in the same class that I learned about the plant and animal rights was Peter Singer. He believes that people are speciest(rascist towards species other than humans) I believe that before the world starts worrying about how other species are being treated we should worry about how other within our own specie are being treated. Also there isn't really any animal that looks out more for the own being of a human(or any other specie) before they'll look after one of their own.
potolife
12-03-2008, 8:27 PM
The legislation even mentions the appropriate keeping of rhinoceroses, although it was not clear immediately how many, if any, were being kept as pets in Switzerland.
I think this pretty much makes it obvious that they're completely insane. Rhinoceroses? REALLY? And did I read that right? You need to take a class to own a dog? That's just ridiculous, they are taking this too far (jeez and I thought PETA was bad).
The_Solipsist
12-03-2008, 8:30 PM
I hope the leader gets mauled by a rabid fucking tiger.
Emphasis on the fucking.
How are you guys thinking the goldfish is more ridiculous than fucking plant rights? The "plant's dignity"? Are you fucking kidding me?
danmanlott
12-03-2008, 8:33 PM
i don't even care about animal rights with the exemption of aspca i mean who dosen't support a non profit organization that makes pets out of abuse. but i know me and a rat do not have the same right.
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John Travolta
12-03-2008, 8:36 PM
That's dumb.
Conipto
12-03-2008, 10:13 PM
i don't even care about animal rights with the exemption of aspca i mean who dosen't support a non profit organization that makes pets out of abuse. but i know me and a rat do not have the same right.
*exception
*doesn't
*saves pets from abuse
*rights
Thank you for using periods.
That was PETA
Yeah, thanks.
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IronWire
12-03-2008, 10:51 PM
Koots are you fucking dumb? Put chips into a gold fish? They cost 5 cents for fucks sake. Liscence a GOLDFISH? They cost FIVE CENTS.
I don't see whats wrong with flushing a goldfish, it's like going down a slide at a waterpark... just a messy ending.
Kevosk
12-03-2008, 10:59 PM
I can still sexually abuse my goldfish though, right?
Pelican Man
12-03-2008, 10:59 PM
Koots are you fucking dumb? Put chips into a gold fish? They cost 5 cents for fucks sake. Liscence a GOLDFISH? They cost FIVE CENTS.
I don't see whats wrong with flushing a goldfish, it's like going down a slide at a waterpark... just a messy ending.
That's the whole point you moron. These animal rights activists are getting their panties in a bunch over them, and are probably extreme enough that they WOULD suggest something like that.
The goldfish thing is kinda nuts, but I do like the idea of having to pass a test to own a dog.
edit: Also please make your thread titles a little more descriptive
Slutty McBangerton
12-04-2008, 12:10 AM
The goldfish thing is kinda nuts, but I do like the idea of having to pass a test to own a dog.
edit: Also please make your thread titles a little more descriptive
I think you should have to pass a test to own any animal to be honest.
Ridiculous goldfish protection laws are better than no goldfish protection laws but being flushed down the toilet must be fun. Real fun.
Ercoledi
12-04-2008, 12:19 AM
Haha - they think goldfish are people!
Ureshii
12-04-2008, 12:55 AM
The thing about plant rights isn't about keeping them safe. The articles state that its more about protecting their genetic integrity. The dignity of plants can be safeguarded as long "as their genetic independence, i.e., reproductive ability and adaptive ability, are ensured". In other words: It's wrong to genetically alter a plant and render it sterile.
In other words: It's wrong to genetically alter a plant and render it sterile.
Does a plant really care?
Does a plant really care?
The plant might not but we will in 100 years when the world has no native plants and all the plants have been genetically modified and are then super weeds.
Why would we genetically modify every plant? We only modify plants if it serves some human interest, like making bananas edible. And even then the wild bananas still exist in their horrible, disgusting form.
I don't see how this is so bad, it makes sense to me.
Animals have feelings too.
TheAwesome
12-04-2008, 2:35 AM
This has gone over the top. I understand people having to take tests for dogs, because they are more significant and probably more important than goldfish(sorry all you goldfish that can read out there), but seriously. A goldfish had 3 seconds of memory. Will it even know if it's day or night? Of course, you can train your goldfish to do tricks. Yes, it is possible. Obviously, the Swiss government needs some time to rethink this "majestic" law.
Well maybe fucking with living things for your own amusement isn't something which the Swiss government thinks should be legal.
It isn't asking much, just that animals are kept in a habitat as close the their natural one as practical.
Just because it is on a news site doesn't mean it is something big and exciting, it is just a progressive country doing an ethical and progressive thing.
lolguy
12-04-2008, 9:11 AM
This is pretty fucking stupid.
Goldfish have no rights. They swim around in that damn tank all DAY AND NIGHT, AND DON'T AMUSE ME WORTH SHIT!!!
Who cares if we flush them down the toilet.
You don't amuse me, either. I guess you should be flushed too.
Tyler_Legrand
12-04-2008, 9:17 AM
We naturally give any living things "rights" based on whether we think they're aware enough, intelligent enough, or feel emotion; chances are, any other criteria is irrelevant. That's how vegetarianism started.
The problem, Tweek, is that we identify with dogs and cats way more than goldfish, thus we do not respect goldfish as much; as a result, we think giving goldfish the same rights as dogs and cats is ridiculous. Same deal with plants.
lolguy
12-04-2008, 9:19 AM
You don't amuse me, either. I guess you should be flushed too.
I'm not trying to amuse you
Mr. Wink
12-04-2008, 9:20 AM
I think people should have to take a test to look after fish because my little brother should have taken it, because he killed his fish by dropping an oxygen tablet into the tank and it ate it and then its stomach exploded.
I'm not trying to amuse you
And neither is a goldfish.
The whole idea behind this is to keep animals in a relatively natural way.
Despite how fun they may be, they are not our playthings and it is only right that they are allowed to live in a semi-natural environment.
lolguy
12-04-2008, 9:26 AM
I suppose your right.
Just don't get the goldfish. If you really want to take care of one, get one. But if you don't want one, just buy a dog or something.
I don't know about anyone who flushes goldfish down toilets even when they're not dead anyways. It's not like driving out to the forest and abandoning a puppy that costs too much to keep. I don't see why they need to introduce a law, it doesn't seem like a big deal.
And how would they police this? There aren't any toilet police.
I think they are trying to establish these rights for animals as convention, rather than trying to force people to recognise the rights.
There are a bunch of laws that are hard to enforce, but generally if it is illegal a person is less likely to do it. You know?
Mr. Wink
12-04-2008, 9:54 AM
And how would they police this? There aren't any toilet police.
Thats what you think.
I don't know about anyone who flushes goldfish down toilets even when they're not dead anyways. It's not like driving out to the forest and abandoning a puppy that costs too much to keep. I don't see why they need to introduce a law, it doesn't seem like a big deal.
Well if you have two goldfish in a bowl(because they're social animals and need to have another to socialise with) and one dies then you might decide this whole fish thing isn't for you so you want to get rid of the other one as well so you flush it down.
What if you buy two fish without realizing one of them is an asshole?
FoeoftheUniverse
12-04-2008, 8:39 PM
butts
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SourChicken
12-05-2008, 7:34 PM
I think defending goldfish is a bit extreme. As far as I know, goldfish only have a life expectancy of about a month.
Unless someone would like to wiki-check that for me.
But a test to own a dog, cat, or any other animal that lives for extended periods of time would be nice.
Chrisso
12-05-2008, 7:48 PM
You know, there are so many different and inexpensive ways that you can kill yourself.
- You can tie your sheets and hang yourself!
- Mix Windex, rat poison, and other things into a drink. Yum!
- If you want to be creative, lay a bunch of nails on the ground, so they are pointed up. Then jump off of your roof and land on them. Repeat until you are dead!
- Don't forget the old run into the moving propeller blades of a WWI Sopwith Camel. It can also be competitive; ask some friends to race you and see which one gets the prize the fastest!
- Who can forget the method of growing old and stepping in front of a bus?
- Jumping out of the top window of a skyscraper is also a joy ride. However, it's considered quite often so if you really wanna be a true individual, doing something unique during the fall such as pretending to run in place or yelling like Tarzan would undoubtedly make a typical suicide solution both successful and entertaining!
WoeStorm
12-05-2008, 9:00 PM
Goldfish heaven is down your toilet. Didn't they ever watch Rocko's Modern Life as a kid?
Shocklocks
12-05-2008, 9:46 PM
Um.. Why does this suprise anyone. We live in a world where everyones crazy about being PC. They probably devoted a hell of alot of time/resources to this law so you'd have to expect it to be pretty specific/overboard.
Besides, any of you bitching about the rights of a goldfish need to get over it. If you don't buy a pet with the intention of giving it a good happy life then why get in the first place. Just because it's not big and furry doesn't mean it's simply an ornament you stick on your shelf and ignore. It's a living creature whether you like it or not, if you don't respect that then simple. Don't buy one.. err.. two.
Ureshii
12-05-2008, 11:10 PM
Besides, any of you bitching about the rights of a goldfish need to get over it. If you don't buy a pet with the intention of giving it a good happy life then why get in the first place. Just because it's not big and furry doesn't mean it's simply an ornament you stick on your shelf and ignore. It's a living creature whether you like it or not, if you don't respect that then simple. Don't buy one.. err.. two.
The problem is that people do by pets and do not intend to treat them well and with respect.
Isn't this law unfair for all the other fish out there?
Alcoholic
12-06-2008, 6:49 AM
Why are the rights of fish of a specific color fought for? I thought the world no longer segregated.
Because the gold fish are more social creatures. I bet that's almost exactly what was said that caucasians were more social beings then african americans when slavery was happening.
Arymiis
12-27-2008, 10:05 PM
I don't see how this is a problem.
Goldfish may be stupid, but they have feelings too, just like every other animal out there.
And the other laws, like getting a qualification for owning a dog or not having farm animals in hard floor barns make sense too.
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