Animal Welfare Groups Criticize IDF's Treatment of Injured Animals on Bases

Animal welfare organizations are escalating their campaign against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), accusing the military of failing to provide adequate care for injured animals found on its bases. While IDF regulations prohibit soldiers from feeding or interacting with stray animals, the organizations contend that the army does not offer necessary medical treatment to animals wounded within its facilities. The National Council for the Protection of Animal Rights, part of the Israel Bar Association, has formally requested the IDF to adhere to legal obligations regarding animal welfare.

Organizations report receiving hundreds of monthly inquiries from soldiers encountering animals in severe distress. A particularly egregious incident at the Nevatim base involved a stray dog found tied to a tree without water, prompting an investigation by military police. The animal welfare groups are demanding clearer procedures and are considering legal action, arguing that existing military orders and animal cruelty laws obligate the IDF to provide care.

According to the animal welfare advocates, IDF directives forbid harming animals, including through neglect or failure to provide emergency care. They assert that once an animal is on a military base and injured, the IDF cannot simply ignore it. The law, they argue, mandates the military to ensure the safety and health of animals within its premises and to provide prompt, professional veterinary treatment at the army's expense.

Yuval Hivroni, director of the Israeli Animal Rights Association's military branch, stated that hundreds of soldiers report injured and sick animals monthly, facing "almost complete disregard" from the military veterinary corps. He described soldiers being forced into "inhumane situations" to help animals, sometimes under threat from their commanders. Hivroni cited a case at Nevatim base where a stray dog was allegedly ordered to be tied to a tree and left to die, with soldiers intervening to save it. A complaint was filed with military police regarding this incident.

The IDF responded by stating that stray animals are the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and local authorities. However, they also acknowledged taking a "broad approach" to the issue and working to address it according to annual plans and existing directives. The military emphasized that its primary role is to protect soldiers' health and that its veterinary services are not a substitute for the work of official authorities. The IDF stated it takes animal abuse very seriously and will prosecute soldiers involved in such offenses.