Posted on 03/08/2010 5:57:07 AM PST by HeadOn
ZURICH—Last month, Antoine Goetschel went to court here in defense of an unusual client: a 22-pound pike that had fought a fisherman for 10 minutes before surrendering.
Mr. Goetschel is the official animal lawyer for the Swiss canton of Zurich, a sort of public defender who represents the interests of pets, farm animals and wildlife. He wound up with the pike as a client when animal-welfare groups filed a complaint alleging animal cruelty in the fish's epic battle with an amateur angler.
The case emerged after a local newspaper photo showed the fisherman proudly showing off the four-foot-long fish—a scene that, to Mr. Goetschel, was reminiscent of a safari hunter with his foot perched on the head of a dead lion. "It is this Hemingway thinking," he says. "Why should this be legal when other animals have to be slaughtered in a humane way?"
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Sorry - already posted - Admin, please pull...
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I need a lawyer for my pet fish Eric.
My pet fish assaulted my neighbor. He needs to lawyer up. Wonder if this guy will help?
a 22-pound pike that had fought a fisherman for 10 minutes before surrenderingThe lawyer should win the case only if he can survive the same ten minute ordeal.
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