Zurich authorities want to ensure that Rottweilers living in the canton are not dangerous; an MP wants newborn babies to have a pension plan; and more Swiss news in our roundup on Thursday.
After the ban, Zurich is testing Rottweilers
From January 1st, 2025, the Zurich government no longer allows new purchases of Rottweilers. This decision was taken after these dogs bit several children, causing serious injuries.
So far, veterinary experts have assessed 24 of the over 300 Rottweilers registered in Zurich.
In one case, “immediate measures” were ordered because the dog was found to be aggressive.
However, this does not mean that the animal will be put down. This drastic move is the very last option, said Zurich cantonal vet Lukas Perler on Wednesday
Instead, training courses, leashes and muzzles are mandatory. for this breed
These tests are carried out so that Rottweilers can continue to be kept in Zurich t legally.
Their number s has already fallen by 15 percent since the ban came into force.
A novel idea: pension plan for babies
MP Andri Silberschmidt has filed a motion in the parliament seeking to allow parents to open a 3a pension provision account for their babies upon birth.
Under his proposal, the maximum amount to be paid would be aligned with employees’ individual pension plans, currently up to 7,258 francs per year.
The account would be in the child’s name, who would become the full owner upon reaching the age of majority.
“Financial independence doesn’t begin with working life; it can be encouraged from a very young age, ” Silberschmidt said.
With such early contributions, the accumulated capital would allow “significant sums to be built up over several decades,” he pointed out, adding that “someone who invests 3 francs a day in an equity fund could, 65 years later, have a million in their account.”
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More Swiss train stations offer obstacle-free travel
By the end of 2024, people with reduced mobility had independent access to 1,132 of a total of 1,800 railway stations in Switzerland — 43 more than at the end of 2023.
Since the major stations were renovated first, 82 percent of all passengers benefited from facilities adapted for this segment of the population..
This is what emerges from the new report released by the Federal Transport Office (FOT) on Wednesday.
Looking ahead, 186 additional stations will be converted by the end of 2028, increasing the proportion of passengers who can mostly travel independently and spontaneously to 86 percent, according to FOT.
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