More than 30 dogs rescued from illegal ‘puppy mill’ in Israel

Over 30 dogs were rescued from an illegal dog breeding facility by inspectors from the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday.

The dogs were reportedly found in an agricultural area, confined in makeshift enclosures and cages, surrounded by weeds and junk.

The rescue operation began following a complaint received by the ministry about small dogs being held in poor conditions, with suspicions that the site was being used for breeding, particularly of small dogs.

The dogs were confined to cages that were too small for them and were suffering from prolonged neglect, which included a lack of adequate medical care, which led to eye infections, emaciation, poor coat conditions, untreated hereditary diseases, internal parasites, and various skin problems.

According to reports, only a few of the dogs were microchipped, making it difficult to track their health and vaccination records and posing a high risk of disease transmission. Agriculture Ministry professionals transported the dogs to a protected facility, where they would receive veterinary care until their recovery.

Condemning illegal breeding operations

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the owner of the facility.

Agriculture and Food Security Ministry Director General Oren Lavi condemned these illegal breeding operations, stating, “The ‘puppy mill’ industry, driven by profit and exploiting the suffering and helplessness of dogs kept in harsh conditions, is a negative social phenomenon. The policy I am leading is zero tolerance for this practice.”

He added about his ministry's work plan, “For the first time, we are working to change the reality where thousands of dogs are currently kept in poor conditions in warehouses and cages, suffering from severe genetic defects and subjected to horrific breeding conditions.”