Over 500,000 animals shipped here last year

More than 500,000 calves and lambs passed through Israeli ports in cargo ships during the first half of 2021, according to the Agriculture Ministry, and the Knesset should “act urgently and stop the madness of live shipments,” Animals Now, an Israel-based animal-rights group, said Wednesday in a press release.

Animal shipments to Israel this year have increased 59% compared with 2020, it said. Almost half a million animals were delivered to the country in 2017, it added.

Shipments of animals to Israel come from Australia, Sweden, France and elsewhere.

A bill proposed by Likud MK Miki Zohar would end this practice within three years. However, in November 2018, the legislative process to pass it was halted due to early elections. Since then, multiple bills have been submitted to stop live animal shipments.

A few bills have been submitted to the current Knesset, spearheaded by Zohar and MKs Sharren Haskel (New Hope), Ibtisam Mara’ana-Menuhin (Labor) and Mossi Raz (Meretz).

The Agriculture Ministry has not imposed sanctions on importers or ship owners who have not complied with the ministry’s guidelines, Animals Now said.

Reports indicate that animals that were delivered to Israel were living in horrid conditions while in the cargo ship, which caused them great suffering, it said.

“They do not care about animals,” Animals Now said. “They are only interested in the money they [make] from cramming animals into crowded and polluted ships. We call on MKs and the government to act urgently and stop the madness of live shipments.”