Planning the Rescue of Animals Abandoned in the Territories

Hakol Chai Offers Its Mobile Clinic with Cages, Humane Traps, and Staff

As settlers begin to evacuate some of the settlements on the West Bank and Gaza, people are asking what will happen to the animals left behind. Some of the settlers are moving to places where they cannot have animals, and some animals were strays the settlers were feeding. Responsibility for dealing with animals left behind in the territories by departing settlers has been assigned by the government to Israel's Veterinary Services.

August 11, 2005: The Veterinary Services hosted a meeting attended by various animal charities in Israel and by representatives of the Environment and Agriculture Ministries and the Prime Minister's Office, to discuss whether and how the various animal protection organizations in Israel can participate in assisting with any animals who may be left behind as settlers evacuate the territories.

CHAI's sister charity in Israel, Hakol Chai, offered its mobile spay/neuter clinic with 30 cages, humane traps, and staff to transport any animals left behind by evacuating settlers to shelters. Other animal organizations requested funding to rent cars or offer assistance of another kind.

Representatives of Hakol Chai reported seeing only about 20 cats in Ganim and Kadim, the two small northern West Bank settlements being evacuated first. The small number of animals requiring assistance was confirmed by the Chief Veterinarian of the Israeli Army. No one knows how many or which animals will be left behind when Gaza is evacuated.

Government funds were provided to assist the evacuating settlers, and the issue was raised that government funds should also be made available to provide for any animals left behind.