Public service 35 horses in the Ramiswil SO animal welfare case to be auctioned off
The majority of the horses confiscated in the Ramiswil SO animal welfare case will be auctioned off in Bern next week. According to the canton, interested buyers must fulfill conditions and register in advance.
21.11.2025, 14:49
SDA
On Wednesday, 35 of the 43 horses confiscated from the Ramiswil stable will be offered for sale on the grounds of the Sand barracks near Bern. This was announced by the Solothurn State Chancellery on Friday.
The top priority of the veterinary service is to ensure that the animals are kept in stables where animal welfare is guaranteed. Therefore, potential buyers must confirm with a self-declaration that animal welfare-compliant places are available and that the persons responsible for the care have the necessary specialist knowledge. This information would be checked by the veterinary service, it said.
Eight of the confiscated horses will not be offered at the auction. Either their current state of health does not permit this or they come from a special breeding program for breed preservation, the State Chancellery stated. These animals would be offered to the relevant organizations or specialist breeders at an estimated value.
Dogs euthanized
During the farm clearance at the beginning of November, 43 horses and around 120 dogs as well as two goats were confiscated in Ramiswil. The dogs, including puppies, were euthanized because they were in too poor a condition. The owner of the animals was charged with violating the Animal Welfare Act.
Sibylle Jeker (SVP), member of the Solothurn cantonal government and Director of Economic Affairs, commissioned an external investigation into the animal welfare case. This is intended to examine the exact course of events and the history of this case and the measures taken by the cantonal veterinary service.
