August 11, 2025|
AI
|4 months agoUnique Swiss Law Prohibits Chicken Eyewear
Switzerland's strict animal welfare laws include unusual provisions, such as banning glasses and contact lenses for poultry, highlighting the country's comprehensive approach to animal protection.
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Generated IllustrationKey Takeaways
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- Switzerland has banned the use of glasses and contact lenses for poultry through Article 20 of the Animal Protection Ordinance (OPAn)
- Chicken eyewear was historically used to prevent cannibalistic behavior in confined poultry
- Red-tinted lenses were designed to prevent chickens from seeing blood to reduce aggressive behavior
- Animalens company patented red contact lenses for poultry in the 1980s
By The Numbers
1903
Year of first chicken eyewear patent by Andrew Jackson Jr.
1980s
Decade when poultry contact lenses were patented by Animalens
They Said
"The use of glasses and contact lenses as well as the application of devices that prevent the beak from closing"
"The use of glasses and contact lenses on poultry is an attempt to adapt birds to housing conditions that are not 'animal-friendly'"
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Switzerland's Unique Ban on Chicken Eyewear
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Historical Context of Poultry Eyewear
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Scientific and Animal Welfare Concerns
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Swiss Animal Protection Standards
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