Crazy Swiss Laws That Are Hard to Believe

Switzerland is a beautiful country. The Swiss are generally friendly people.  I spent many weeks in a tiny town called Neuchâtel on the shores of Lake Geneva.

All of us chocoholics know that Swiss chocolate is among the best in the world. We also know that Swiss trains run precisely on time. What you may not know is that Switzerland has many weird laws.  Here are six of the best

Ten o’clock is the bewitching hour.

Probably only applicable to men (😁😁), you aren’t allowed to urinate standing up after ten o’clock at night. You also can’t flush a loud toilet after ten p.m. Both of these would be hard to enforce. They probably won’t land you in jail. Still, they can draw the anger of an ex-landlord or the disdain of your neighbor.

Dogs are taxed.

That’s right, dogs are taxed in Switzerland. Some cantons charge a flat rate while others tax you according to the dog’s size and weight.

In 2011, officials in the village of Reconvilier revived a 1904 law. It allowed dogs to be killed if their owners didn’t pay the yearly tax. Switzerland is very conscious of animal cruelty, and there was a huge uproar. The official withdrew but still charged a tax.

Sundays are special days.

In the central square of Neuchâtel, like almost all Swiss towns, there are huge bins for waste. Residents must take their waste, especially recycling, and put it in these bins. The council then empties them.

All well and good, and the Swiss pride themselves on being among the best recyclers in the world. However, you cannot recycle on a Sunday. You can be fined if you do it on a Sunday.

You also cannot mow your grass on a Sunday in many of the cantons; it is part of a wider ban on excessive noise.

In Geneva, a guide lists activities that are too noisy. For example, it includes taking a bath at night and doing DIY projects.

You cannot clean your car with a pressure washer.

This law addresses Swiss worries about water runoff. It aims to prevent pollution in local water supplies and protect the environment. Most people's answer is to take their cars to one of the very lucrative car-washing businesses.

You must fear doomsday.

Every house in Switzerland has to have, or have access to, a nuclear shelter. If you dream of a lovely Swiss house, consider this: moving to Switzerland might not be wise if you don't worry about a nuclear strike.

You can't just own a single guinea pig

One of the wildest yet heartwarming Swiss laws is about guinea pigs: you can't have just one!

The reason for this is that they’re a social species. They are seen as victims of abuse if they can't regularly interact with others of their kind. The same rule applies to other social animals like parrots, goldfish, and budgerigars.

The law adopted in 2008 introduced a comprehensive 182-page Animal Protection Ordinance. Hidden among rules for everything from macaws to mice was a clear standard for guinea pigs. Anyone who adopts them needs at least two. This allows them to interact, groom, chatter, and bond naturally.

The problem is if you have two and one dies. Trust the Swiss to find a solution. There are services for “Rent a Guinea pig." Some owners keep these rented friends for a short time. Others enjoy them so much and want to be law-abiding and end up adopting them.

It is a crazy world out there, especially in Switzerland, it would seem.

Till next time,

Calvin