If You See Animal Abuse

If you are in Israel, also see information below.

If you witness cruelty to an animal, it is your responsibility to help stop it. There are laws against cruelty to animals in Israel and in most developed countries. For the law in Israel, see The Animal Protection Law.

A person who deliberately harms an animal deserves to suffer the legal consequences. In addition to animal suffering, it is now known that people who abuse animals are likely to be abusers of people. Children who are cruel to animals are at high risk of being dangerous to people when they become adults.

What constitutes animal abuse?

Israel's Animal Protection Law states the following:

Prohibition of Cruel Treatment — 2000 Amendment:

(a) No person shall torture, treat cruelly, or in any way abuse any animal.

(b) No person shall incite one animal against another.

(c) No person shall organise a contest between animals.

(d) No person shall cut into a live tissue of an animal for cosmetic purposes.

2005 Amendment:

An owner of an animal, or a person who is in charge of or responsible for an animal, shall not abandon the animal.

Prohibition on Working Animals:

(a) No person shall work any animal that is not fit to work because of its physical condition.

(b) No person shall work any animal to exhaustion.

A person is abusing an animal if he or she is causing that animal to suffer. Beating, kicking, punching, or choking an animal, setting tails on fire, putting rubber bands around limbs or tails, or dunking heads under water — all these are clearly acts of abuse. Overloading a horse or donkey cart, galloping a horse in the midday summer heat, confining a dog in a car in the summer heat, tethering a dog on a chain or rope for long periods of time, and abandoning an animal are also examples of abuse.

Animal neglect is not as obvious as abuse, but it is usually just as detrimental to the animal’s health and happiness. For example, not increasing the size of a cat or dog’s collar can result in injury and perhaps even strangulation. Not grooming a dog or cat, especially long haired ones, can lead to massive matting that causes infected sores, not to mention terrible distress. Starvation is a neglect that can cause a painful death. Starvation is not only caused by lack of food but by improper food, untreated disease, and parasites.

What should I do if I see animal abuse?

If you witness animal abuse or neglect, it is your responsibility to report it to the police or to your local humane society, animal shelter, or animal control agency immediately.

Do not turn away from the defenseless animal. Animal welfare agencies rely on you to be the eyes and ears of the community by reporting animal suffering. If you are worried about being blamed for meddling, or if you are concerned about any retaliation against you, you can always remain anonymous. Animal abuse might prompt you to confront the abuser. However, if you believe this might endanger you, try to restrain yourself. If at all possible, safely take photos or videos of the incident so they can be shown later to investigators.

Make your voice heard!

IF YOU ARE IN ISRAEL

   If you saw an abused cat or dog

• Contact the municipal veterinarian of the area where you saw the animal. If he or she does not promise to do something immediately, fax or email a description of what you saw to the veterinarian, providing as many details as possible about the location, day, and time at which the event occurred and about the abuser.

To identify the municipal veterinarian for any area, click the following link and type the city, town, village, or regional council you are seeking information about. The name of the relevant veterinarian will appear:

http://www.vtr.moag.gov.il/vtr/DogCenter/search_rofe.asp (Hebrew)
 

• Fax or email a copy of your letter to the Veterinary Services official in charge of enforcing the Animal Protection Law, explaining that you also sent the municipal veterinarian a fax or email. Fax (preferred method) 03-9681661, email welfare@moag.gov.il. If you send an email rather than a fax, please write REPORT OF ANIMAL ABUSE in the subject line.
   

• If you do not receive a response, do not assume the matter has been taken care of. Call both the municipal veterinarian and contact the Veterinary Services again until the matter is attended to properly. The animals depend on you!
   

    If you saw an abused horse

Please leave a message with the details of what you saw and where you saw it, and your contact information, at Hakol Chai's number: 03-6241640. Please also contact Dr. Zvia Mildenberg , the Veterinary Services veterinarian in charge of horses at the Ministry of Agriculture: fax 03-9681788, email zviami@moag.gov.il