The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is mobilizing to help refugees from Ukraine and will provide about 1,000 immigrants with an “absorption basket” for their pets. Part of the basket: a food package weighing a kilo, marking with a subcutaneous chip and a rabies vaccine as needed
Following the state of emergency in Ukraine, the veterinary services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development joined the global effort in favor of the absorption of refugees from Ukraine and immigrants from Russia, and began to provide an “absorption basket” for their pets.
The ministry said that those who come with a pet will receive at the entrance to the country an absorption basket, which will include: food weighing a kilo, and as the need arises also marking with a subcutaneous chip and rabies vaccination in one of the local authorities’ kennels. These will help them in the first days of their adaptation to Israel. The food bags can already be found in the compound of the Ministry of Absorption and Immigration at Terminal 1, Ben Gurion Airport.
This step joins the previous steps taken by the Ministry of Agriculture over the past few weeks. In this context, the Minister of Agriculture, Oded Forer, instructed to open an emergency center for those staying in Ukraine seeking to come to the country with pets. Since then, HaMoked has assisted with dozens of applications from immigrants received daily.
In addition, the veterinary services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have issued facilities for residents arriving from Ukraine, and have begun assisting them in finding ways to enable them to bring their pets with them, while managing risks and maintaining optimal public and animal health in Israel. In this context, in the last month, as mentioned, about 1,000 immigrants from Ukraine entered Israel together with their pets.
The Minister of Agriculture, Oded Forer, said: “Unfortunately, the fighting is still in full swing, and in the meantime many residents are forced to leave their homes in favor of a more protected place. I instructed my office to do as much as possible to facilitate refugees. And will equip them with the basic products needed for their pets. “