Cart Horses and Donkeys: Abuse and Rescue

OVERVIEW

CHAI'S CAMPAIGN SUCCEEDS

Transportation Minister and Knesset Economic Committee Approve National Ban on July 29, 2014

In Israel, as throughout the Middle East, horses and donkeys have long been the victims of abuse. People have used them to carry heavy loads, like furniture, watermelons and other fruits and vegetables in summer, and rocks from construction sites.

In November 2009, following a 10-year campaign by CHAI and Hakol Chai, Tel Aviv banned the use of horse-drawn carts. However, the ban was not enforced, and in Tel Aviv cart horses were back at work on the streets. In 2011, Hakol Chai launched a new Witness Campaign to end the cruelty. In other parts of the country, also, cart horses have continued to suffer. Even in those cities that require licensing and inspections, the legislation has not been enforced, so most of these animals are not licensed, inspected, or provided with veterinary care. Often, they are fed only the damaged produce or nutritionally inadequate forage containing burrs that cause sores in their mouths. At the end of the summer season, or when lameness prevents them from being useful, they are abandoned.

In November 2012, Israel's Minister of Transportation agreed to ban horse- and donkey-drawn carts from all city streets and highways throughout Israel. See also this press release from the Ministry of Transportation.

In July 2014, the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee approved the new regulation submitted to it by the Ministry of Transportation to impose a nationwide ban on horse- and donkey-drawn carts on streets and highways. Hakol Chai's representative states: "We will now turn our efforts to ensuring that the law is enforced everywhere in the country."

Following the unanimous vote in July to pass the new regulation, the head of the Economic Affairs Committee, MK Braverman, was asked by a representative of a handful of carriage drivers who haul tourists on one street in the northern coastal city of Nahariya to add an exemption for them to the regulation. MK Braverman postponed enacting the regulation pending a discussion held on September 21. Over the objections of the Transportation Ministry and Hakol Chai, an exemption was included that would allow municipal officials to grant a license to carriage drivers on a case by case basis, as long as the municipal veterinarian regularly inspects their horses and finds them to be in good condition. The Transportation Ministry assured Hakol Chai that it will seek to limit the exemptions to the greatest extent possible (Nahariya is currently the only city with horse-drawn carriages for tourists) and eventually, to put an end to them. Carriages will be restricted to roads with little traffic. Transportation Minister Israel Katz said: "Carts with animals harnessed to them on Israeli roads constitute a significant danger to drivers and pedestrians, and they often cause traffic delays and unnecessary traffic jams."

See Hakol Chai's Campaign Timeline

DONKEYS

Tiny donkeys also are made to pull loads far too heavy for them, and they are beaten frequently. Their hooves are often left untrimmed for so long that it becomes difficult and painful for them to walk. And, for some reason that we don't yet understand (possibly malnutrition and overloading at an early age), donkeys are sometimes found abandoned on the road with broken legs. CHAI provided an Israeli animal activist with video camera equipment in order to obtain video footage of abused horses and donkeys. This photograph shows an abused donkey whose ears were cut off. Kolbotek, a widely watched exposé program, aired the footage, and the program's host called for the intervention of government authorities to prevent and stop the abuse.

Veterinary Help for Donkeys

Hakol Chai has launched a campaign specifically to help donkeys—the Save the Donkeys project. As part of this project, a veterinarian will help provide medical care for the animals who have not received treatment because of financial constraints. The focus will be in the Negev, in the south of Israel, where most of the donkeys are concentrated.

Education in Schools to Help Donkeys

In addition, as another part of our donkey project, Hakol Chai has met with representatives of the Ministry of Education from the south. These Ministry representatives are currently locating schools that wish to take part in our project. In these schools, students will learn the true meaning of taking responsibility and of taking action to improve the welfare of donkeys in their region. Following the lectures, the students will develop a special project of their choice.

Municipal veterinarians say they do not remove equine victims from their abusers because they have no place to take them. CHAI and Hakol Chai have rescued several horses, and we are planning to establish a Horse and Donkey Sanctuary.

Our first rescued horses:

Saturday	Kahal
Tikvah	Shai
Joey

Media Coverage

Events in Israel

   December 25, 2011

   June 8, 2009