In times of trouble and emergency, when we’re all facing unprecedented challenges, pain and hardship, the animals suffer badly as well. The Ministry of Agriculture, which is responsible for helping the animals, has used these times to promote new ways of hurting them.
So what has the Ministry of Agriculture done over the past two years?
Killing dogs in pounds: with the beginning of the war, the Ministry of Agriculture pushed an amendment to the law to enable quicker killing of dogs in the Gaza Envelope. The Ministry has also provided direct financial support to municipalities in the Gaza Envelope and in the north for killing dogs.
Poisoning of roaming dogs: despite the stance of the Parks and Nature Authority and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, which have warned against the danger to wildlife, the Ministry of Agriculture has authorized the use of new poison baits against roaming dogs. Contrary to the scientific study about toxicity, and under false claims that the poison is “humane”. We filed a petition to the Supreme Court in June regarding the approval of this poison.
The suffering of chicken in the egg industry: using the excuse of delays caused by the war, the Ministry of Agriculture has given a five year extension on keeping hens in extremely cramped battery cages, where each chicken is given only 350 square centimeters. By now, coop owners were meant to switch to coops where each chicken is given 750 square centimeters of space. In a media interview the Minister referred to the war as “an opportunity” to keep the extremely cramped cages working. With “Animals” organization we filed a petition to the Supreme Court regarding this decision.
Stopping the prohibition on the use of glue traps: despite agreements between government ministries regarding the distribution of responsibilities in enforcing the banning of glue traps, the animal welfare department in the Ministry of Agriculture announced it did not and will not agree to including the ban in the animal protection law. The Minister of Agriculture supported this position, and the legislation was brought to a halt.
Continuing the restraining of mothers and the mutilation of piglets in the pig meat industry: following our petition to the Supreme Court, and in a three year delay, the Ministry of Agriculture has made a decision regarding the permit in the law which allows cutting tails and teeth and performing castration without anesthetics, and holding nursing pigs in restraining cages. This decision, which goes against all common sense, morality, science, and even studies issued by the Ministry itself, is to continue all these violent measures.
So what to do?
Take them out of that hell.
Take the animal protection law out of the hands of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Establish a national authority for the protection of animals.
