Stray dogs have become a growing national problem in Israel, with packs roaming not only in remote communities but also on the outskirts of cities. Despite extreme measures such as shooting and poisoning, authorities — led by the Agriculture Ministry — have failed to bring the issue under control.
Now, animal welfare group Let the Animals Live and veterinarian and researcher Dr. Liat Morgan are presenting Israel’s first comprehensive plan to address the problem. Based on international research and guidelines from ICAM, the International Companion Animal Management coalition, the plan calls for treating dog population management as a permanent community service, much like education or infrastructure, rather than a crisis response.
Stray dogs roam around the Gaza border region
(Video: Kobi Sofer)
The strategy rejects culling outright and instead emphasizes humane tools: spaying and neutering, adoption campaigns, tighter regulation of breeding and sales and public education. The plan was developed with leading global experts behind similar programs in the United States and Europe.
Israel registers about 64,000 new dogs every year, with the overall dog population estimated at 600,000. Adoption systems are overwhelmed, while demand for purebred dogs and ongoing trade fuels abandonment of older animals and raises euthanasia rates. Two Knesset bills to restrict breeding and sales have stalled for more than a year.
According to Dr. Morgan, killing stray dogs is not only cruel but counterproductive. International case studies show that when strays are killed, new dogs quickly move into the vacated area, while remaining females reproduce earlier and with larger litters. Within a short time, the population rebounds — often larger than before.
Her report recommends mandatory licensing for breeders, strict welfare standards, record-keeping and reporting for every litter, monitoring of online sales and significant fines for violations. She also suggests considering restrictions on breeding problematic traits and imposing a “litter tax” to reduce unwanted puppies and fund municipal dog management services.
Adoption should be actively promoted through positive branding, adoption fairs, training and post-adoption support, while public education campaigns must target children and youth to foster responsible pet ownership. Municipal services should adapt their approach: in cities, focusing on adoption and responsible ownership; in rural areas, on sterilization, vaccination and controlled return-to-field programs.
Accessible and sustainable veterinary services, along with monitoring food and shelter sources for strays, are also critical. Dr. Morgan stresses that ongoing data collection and updates to the program are essential to ensure its effectiveness.
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Let the Animals Live and veterinarian and researcher Dr. Liat Morgan
(Photo: Dotan Beck)
“This is the first science-based, ethical and measurable national plan for dog population management published in Israel,” she said. “It draws on the latest research and global policy statements to provide tools for long-term solutions.”
Yael Arkin, director of Let the Animals Live, said the crisis reflects chronic mismanagement: “Municipal and private kennels are overcrowded, leading to mass euthanasia. The state even incentivizes quick fixes instead of deep solutions. Without adoption, laws and enforcement, the problem will only worsen. We call on the Agriculture Ministry to adopt this plan and finally solve the crisis humanely, not through killing and suffering.”