“I spent a week at the TIR library doing research for my project A Continental Approach to Animal Rights (supported by FWO-short stay grant).

Most people working in animal law know the feeling: searching through library catalogues, wandering aisles, and finally spotting that one shelf with books on animal law. Finding more than three relevant titles is a rare success. How different the experience is at the TIR library in Zurich! Instead of a single shelf, the entire collection - over 22,000 works - is relevant.

It was a more than inspiring time. I discovered doctoral theses from as early as 1965 on European animal welfare law - never digitized - alongside animal law works from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Japan, and over 80 Dutch publications dating back to 1900. I even stumbled upon some writings by my great-great-grandfather Felix Ortt on apes, vegetarianism, and the fight against vivisection.

But most of all, the experience of being in a space with so much history, so many physical traces of people from all times and countries with one commonality - an interest in and passion for animals, is fulfilling in a way impossible to describe. All carefully selected, sorted, and put together by TIR’s dedicated librarians, Moena Zeller and Vanessa Koch.

Beyond the research, I felt very welcome in the TIR office, surrounded by all the amazing human and non-human colleagues. One week was far too short, and I hope to return soon. If you’re working in animal law, I can't recommend enough to pass by this unique library, a paradise for animal lawyers in the middle of Switzerland. A warm thank you to the TIR team for their welcome, support and hospitality.”

We greatly appreciate such visits and are always pleased about the valuable exchange.