A Swiss association offers to support breeders who no longer want to exploit animals

In Switzerland, Virginia Markus created an association and a sanctuary to welcome animals from voluntary breeders when they lose the meaning of their profession or want to stop breeding animals for ethical reasons.

We know about shelters for abandoned animals, but we know less about shelters for farm animals, when their owners abandon their profession. In Switzerland, Virginia Markus created a sanctuary to take in calves, cows and pigs initially destined for the slaughterhouse. Her mission also consists of offering a reconversion to breeders who no longer want to exploit animals for ethical reasons. A still marginal phenomenon, but one that is gaining momentum.

“When you see these little pigs, you can’t say ‘here’s a tip, hop the roast’, you can’t! Look at that, they even come to say hello”points out this former breeder. In another life, Stéphane Baud had cattle and pigs, for their meat, until the day when taking them to the slaughterhouse was no longer humanly possible for him: “I once had to go to an industrial slaughterhouse. I had put three pigs in and when I left, I slammed the cattle truck, and I could hear them calling me from behind…” He says he got into his tractor, burst into tears and when he got home, his decision was made: “Now it’s over, I can’t anymore.”

It was at this time that Stéphane heard about Virginia Markus’ Coexister association. He entrusted her with two of his cows and discussed with her the possibilities of reconversion. “All the animals that are here are here because their former breeders agreed to give them away, for free because we don’t buy them back, explains Virginia Markus. Breeders who were very attached to this or that cow and who preferred to see it in the sanctuary rather than in the slaughterhouse.”

She describes her approach and how she was contacted by farmers: “I’m not going to knock on the breeders’ doors, otherwise I’d get turned away. No, the idea is that it’s a voluntary approach, whether it’s just to rehome one or two animals or to start a reconversion process, they’re the ones who approach me and then a discussion ensues, which will lead to solutions.”

“I start from the principle that each project is unique, so I will adapt to the needs of the person and also to the capacity of the farm.”

Virginia Markus, founder of the Coexister association

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For Stéphane, it will be plant-based bakery, that is to say without meat or milk. A 180 degree turn, even if other solutions exist for breeders who are breaking the mold. Virginie Markus continues: “There may be breeders, male and female, who want to keep the farm, transform it to do something else : oat milk, cereal growing, market gardening, etc. Some want to keep animals, so it really depends on the project.”

She also recalls that a “a certain number of farmers” want completely “leave agriculture because they were so disgusted with the profession”In these cases, the association tries to help them “re-form”. Of the fifteen or so breeders supported, few have remained farmers, due to a lack of desire or land suitable for cereal or market gardening. Because while agricultural land represents a quarter of the Swiss territory, half is dedicated to livestock breeding and grazing.