“Switzerland boasts laws to protect goldfish from being flushed down the toilet, but on Sunday voted against assigning lawyers to abused creatures. Just over 70 per cent of voters voted ‘no’ and 30 per cent voted ‘yes’ in a referendum on the issue, according to results released the next day. Sunday’s referendum, initiated by the Swiss Animal Protection (PSA) group, would have obliged all cantons to name a lawyer for animals during judicial proceedings. Such representation has been compulsory in the Zurich canton since 1992, but a ‘yes’ vote would have extended the right to the other 25 mini-states.” (03/08/10)