Packs of stray dogs from Gaza Strip roaming around Israeli
border communities
Wild dogs from Gaza have been swarming through abandoned Israeli border towns.
In recent weeks, hundreds of dogs from Gaza have been freely roaming near Israeli towns; scientist warns they threaten nature
by preying on wildlife and could spread diseases, endangering
human life
Ynet has received footage of stray dogs near Kibbutz Erez, inside Kibbutz Re'im and in Kibbutz Be'eri. Additionally, residents have reported packs of dogs in Kfar Aza, Ein HaBesor and other neighboring communities.
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Packs of stray dogs from Gaza Strip roaming around Israeli border communities
(Photo: Nimrod Cohen, Israel Nature and Parks Authority)
Dr. Yehoshua Shkedi, the chief scientist of Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority, said, "I was in the Gaza border area of Be'eri and Re'im yesterday. The number of stray dogs entering from the Gaza Strip is immense. In the small area I surveyed, there were dozens of dogs."
He warned of the damage these dogs can cause. "These dogs are a problem for nature because they prey on any animal they encounter. And if they spread diseases, they also pose a danger to human life. We've already seen in Bir al-Daj a girl who died from a bite by stray dogs." Dr. Shakedi called on authorities to act. "There's no other option; these dogs must be dealt with."
(Photo: Kobi Sofer, Israel Nature and Parks Authority)
(Photo: Eli Messika, Israel Nature and Parks Authority)
The stray dogs from Gaza are not afraid to approach humans. In a video shot by Kobi Sofer from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority near Kibbutz Erez, several dogs are seen approaching his vehicle and barking incessantly at him while other dogs are a few dozen feet away.
The Agriculture Ministry said it was “monitoring the situation and supporting local authorities, which are responsible for dealing with stray animals in general and particularly in the Western Negev.”
(Photo: Eli Messika, Israel Nature and Parks Authority)
(Photo: Eli Messika, Israel Nature and Parks Authority)
The ministry says it has allocated NIS 2.1 million ($560,000) in additional funding for local authorities to address the situation.
“The budget includes funding for the capture of hundreds of dogs, their maintenance in quarantine, vaccination with two rabies shots, microchipping and spaying and neutering surgeries," the ministry said.
The ministry stressed the importance of collecting stray dogs for adoption while also highlighting the potential risks to public and animal health and underscoring the necessity of consulting a municipal veterinarian to verify the dog's health and ensure it is appropriately tagged and vaccinated.
Some good video of the dogs barking at source article:
https://www.ynetnews.com/environment/article/by11wctvdp#autoplay
Stray dogs from the Gaza Strip roam Gaza border-area communities after residents evacuated during ongoing war.
The evacuation of approximately 200,000 Israelis from their homes bordering the Gaza Strip to escape the hostilities of the war has unleashed another problem in frontier towns already hard hit by the October 7th invasion and subsequent rocket attacks —a huge increase in the number of stray dogs roaming the deserted communities.
The immense number of feral dogs, which have crossed over from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, pose several public safety problems.
They can spread diseases, especially rabies, and they impact the ecosystem negatively by quickly reproducing and competing for the same prey as wolves, jackals, and other animals native to the environment.
Stray dogs have also been eating human corpses in Gaza.
