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Pro-Animal Caucus in the Knesset OVERVIEW
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"From today, animals also have a home in the Knesset," announced Knesset Member (MK) Yoel Hasson." They are also citizens of Israel, and they also deserve representatives who will speak for them."
The occasion, November 28, 2006, marked the inauguration of the first caucus (a group of Knesset Members who will promote legislation to the full Knesset) for animals in the history of the Israeli Parliament. The caucus was initiated on the recommendation of CHAI's sister charity in Israel, Hakol Chai.
Hakol Chai's Director, Yadin Elam, called the event "a day of celebration for animals in Israel." Among the caucus members are Members of Knesset Dov Hanin, Moshe Kahlon, Michael Melchior, and Colette Avital. Representatives of the Environment and Agriculture Ministries were also in attendance at the preliminary meeting.
At the suggestion of Hakol Chai, the first bill the caucus will seek to pass is one that provides for animals in disasters, to prevent the tragedies that occurred during the disengagement from Gaza and the West Bank and during the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah. A similar bill was passed in the U.S. Congress following Hurricane Katrina. Hakol Chai was active in rescuing and re-homing or finding new homes for animals during the disengagement and the recent war.
The first item discussed by the caucus, also at the suggestion of Hakol Chai, was the need to reform the municipal pounds. MK Hasson, caucus Chairperson, called the matter "essential and urgent."
"Our dog pound is disgusting," one municipal veterinarian reported to Hakol Chai. "It looks as if it was built in the fifties. It is wide open and has no walls. It is very cold in the winter. When we arrive in the morning, we find dead puppies who did not survive the cold. It breaks our heart. We also have our share of thefts. I have 40 dogs who live crowded in five cages and a single employee. And there's no point in saying anything about the cat pound. They tried to make patches to block the rain, but it didn't really help." The veterinarian's testimony was read aloud to the dozens of people who attended the first meeting of the caucus.
"Grossly inadequate enclosures that provide no protection from the weather, puppies forced to lie on cold concrete, kittens on bare wire cages, dogs stolen and used in fights, animals doomed to live out their lives in small, overcrowded cages are only some of the terrible things that happen in these facilities," said Hakol Chai's Director, Yadin Elam.
According to the Veterinary Services, more than 100,000 animals are abandoned every year, and only ten percent of them are adopted. Municipal pounds take in 20–40,000 dogs annually. Few shelters or pounds in Israel provide accurate euthanasia statistics. No one wants to face the harsh reality.
"Until today, animal protection amounted to the random activity of some MKs who care," Yadin told the caucus audience. "But this is an important issue that is relevant to large segments of the population — not just people who have animals, but everyone who believes that animals should be treated with dignity and compassion. The sad condition of the pounds is only one example of the terrible treatment animals receive in Israel. Precisely where the government should act as a role model, taking care of animals' welfare, it treats them worse than the citizens do."
"At some facilities," Hakol Chai's Director reported to the Knesset Members, "the conditions are shameful and disgraceful, but the staff is caring. In others, the conditions are relatively good, but the staff is not qualified to take care of animals, and is indifferent to their suffering."
Over the years, thanks to CHAI member Olive Walker, CHAI on its own and together with Israel's Veterinary Services, has sponsored professional training seminars for veterinarians and their staff at pounds and shelters, and produced and distributed a manual on the subject in Hebrew and English. The seminars, modeled after similar, routine professional training in the U.S., resulted in some reforms and were a model CHAI urged the Veterinary Services to follow.
"Such training is vital for anyone charged with taking care of animals at such facilities," said CHAI's Director, Nina Natelson. Lack of public spotlight on the situation, stubborn attitudes, and lack of funding prevented the training from becoming a requirement country wide - until the Knesset caucus.
Said caucus Chairperson Hasson, "I always had animals around me, and I love them. When I joined the Knesset, I was certain it dealt with this issue, but was surprised to find out that there is no group in it that deals with animal welfare. The new caucus will try to change this situation. Maybe in addition to dealing with the condition of the pounds, one of the first tasks will be to change the name of the animal protection law from 'Anti-Cruelty to Animals Law' to 'Animal Rights.' This is a semantic change, but it expresses our commitment to protect them."
The initial meeting of the Knesset pro-animal caucus was covered in the media:
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