The Israel Animal Defense Force, which has worked with the Israel Police for years, has established a volunteer police force in Tel Aviv to enforce animal cruelty laws. The initiative is in response to the lax enforcement and lenient penalties for animal cruelty offenses, even though the law permits up to three years' imprisonment for offenders.
30 volunteers are undergoing police and professional training. When the course is completed in September, they will handle cases of animal neglect and abuse, and violations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Law (Experiments on Animals), 5754-1994 in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality jurisdiction in collaboration with the Police's Yiftach Division.
The training includes a course in policing given by the Israel Police, which will give the volunteers police authority. The Israel Animal Defense Force will train the volunteers in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Law to give them the skills for handle cases of animal abuse.
When a case of animal abuse is reported to the police or the Israel Animal Defense Force, the volunteers will investigate. The volunteers will also teach primary and high school students about animal cruelty, the unit, and the law.
In response to the increase in animal abuse cases and rising public awareness of the problem, the Israel Police grasped the importance of increased enforcement in the area. In 2012, it established the volunteer unit and drew up its operational procedures.
The Tel Aviv volunteer unit is a pilot for a nationwide program.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 23, 2013
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