“No – man’s – land” dogs

That is how they name them and that is exactly how they live, very miserable, destitute lives.

Hundreds of packs of dogs, tremendously suffer, under very harsh living conditions, in the Negev area and in the rural north of Israel.

Continuous hunger, thirst, illness, being struck by passing vehicles, are all part of the daily insufferable life of these apparently “transparent” dogs, that are so easily ignored.

Thousands of dogs aimlessly roaming rural areas (especially in the Negev), are the result of long term neglect and disregard. However, their overwhelming anguish, is apparent here and now.

There is no savior for those who suffer and require urgent help, those that were hit by cars and trucks, the sick and the infirm, heavily pregnant and lactating bitches and newborn pups, their days numbered in this horrific and sad survival war.

We need your help, so that we can acquire humane capturing equipment and so help and prevent, the suffering of these “No – man’s – land” dogs.

We will not be able to help them all, but surely, we will be able to prevent the immense hardship, of those

who are severely affected.

Thanks to your contributions, we hope to equip the activists who help the abandoned animals in the south of Israel, as they face huge shortages of manpower and capturing equipment.

The cost of bringing these animals to the veterinary clinics and the rehabilitation costs of those that are

adoption – worthy, are very high.

The price of one humane trap for a large dog, is between 1800 – 2500 NIS and we need quite a few of these traps.

We also require several capture poles, nets, protective gloves and any other essential equipment, which is needed in order to capture these ailing dogs, who require immediate veterinary attention.

Transport and manpower costs are a substantial part of the rescue budget.

Your contributions will enable us to have a financial support network, which will allow us to help more dogs and other organizations, who will accommodate and rehabilitate the dogs.

We, here at the Israeli Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, appeal to your heart and ask you to join our important journey to the Negev, to help the “no – man’s – land” dogs.

The more supporters and partners we have on board, the more we can prevent grief and suffering.

You are all life saviors!

The total cost of the equipment is about 76,000 NIS and we do desperately need it, like a breath of fresh air.

Our heartfelt thank you, for your attention and support

The Israeli SPCA family

For donations

Contributing and helping the dogs to get through the winter in comfort

Help us to purchase heating lamps that will provide the dogs with a warm winter

Winter is here in all its glory bringing with it stormy winds, heavy rains and extremely cold nights. As we find ways to cope with the difficult weather conditions, abandoned animals suffer terribly during the cold season.

The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel calls upon the public to help us purchase heating lamps for the over 200 abandoned dogs now in our care. Every donation will help at least one dog to get through the cold winter warmly and pleasantly.

Following consultation with experts in the field, we in the Society have decided to equip the dog kennels with infra-red heating lamps. These lamps have many advantages: instant and focused heating, low electricity consumption, water and wind resistance, and extensive life spans of thousands of hours of use without need of ongoing maintenance. In addition, the lamps are user-friendly, non-toxic and approved by the European and Israeli Standards Institutes.

If you want to help abandoned dogs to have a warmer and more comfortable winter, we will gladly accept your contributions towards covering the costs of the heating lamps.
The price of each lamp is NIS 200.
To give your donation for one lamp, click here.

In addition, in order to provide clean and warm bedding for the cats and dogs, in the Society, situated at 159 Herzl Street, we will be happy to receive blankets, sheets and towels.

We wish you and all the animals a warm and cozy winter.

Dogs and Winter – Advice and Tips

Help your dog get through the winter happily and safely

Na’ama Rolnik, SPCA Adoption Counselor and dog trainer

The cold season has arrived, bringing with it strong winds, heavy rainfall, low temperatures thunder and lightning. The SPCA Adoption Counselor and dog trainer, Naomi Rolnik, presents some tips that will help your dog get through the winter happily and safely.

It’s Cold Outside
Dog owners whose pets are used to living outside should check that the kennels are rainproof. In addition, it is recommended to line kennels with thick blankets that are good for snuggling. The strong wind may blow unstable objects around, Please take care to tidy up the yard or balcony and to get rid of objects that are likely to hurt your dog.

Nice and Warm Inside
When we are away from the house and not heating it, the indoor temperatures can be quite low so it is worthwhile lining the dog’s bed with a cozy blanket. Short-haired dogs tend to suffer more from the cold, but there are also long-haired dogs that like the warmth and enjoy snuggling up somewhere warm. Those dogs should be dressed in a suitable sweater.

A walk in the rain
The cold may cause dogs, particularly the smaller breeds, to relieve themselves more frequently. It is also quite possible that because of the cold, they will make mistakes and wet the house. In order to avoid this, we recommend taking them for more outings than usual. If your dog doesn’t like going out in the rain, take advantage of the breaks in the rainfall to take your dog out and allow him to expend as much energy as possible. Energy release eases the dog’s stress. In the case of really rainy days when it is impossible to take your dog out for walks, we suggest allowing him to let off some steam in the house with a ball, other toys or even with a walker.

Thunder and Tension
Some dogs don’t get upset about the winter weather while others may be stressed out by thunder, lightning, wind and even slammed doors. If your dog is sensitive, we suggest locating a place in the house where he feels secure, putting a warm blanket there for him, and, when the noises make him nervous, ignoring him and refraining from petting him. If your dog is used to a travel cage, these are precisely the times to allow him to go into one. Our instincts, as people, are to display sympathy and understanding and to identify with the stress that the dog is undergoing. However, by stroking the dog we just reinforce his fear and increase his stress. If your dog becomes overly stressed or even harms himself, consult with a dog trainer or veterinarian in order to find a solution through appropriate treatment.

Have a safe and warm winter!

A Warm Winter for the Animals

Anita is doing the laundry and making a request: Contribute blankets and heating equipment for the dogs and cats

Winter is already here: the winds are blowing, the rain is falling and often the nights are very cold. We, in the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel are making every effort to ensure that the animals in our care will get through the cold season comfortably by providing them with all the necessary means to protect them from the cold.

While our cat home is a closed and solid building, equipped with air conditioners, heating the kennels is a far greater challenge. Last year the Society invested a substantial sum of money in installing rain and wind-shield awnings which can be closed when necessary. Now we need to heat the enclosures themselves, and, following consultation with experts in the field, it has been decided to equip the dog kennels with infra-red heating lamps. These lamps have many advantages: instant and focused heating, low electricity consumption, water and wind resistance, extensive life spans of thousands of hours of use without need of ongoing maintenance. In addition, the lamps are user-friendly, non-toxic and approved by the European and Israeli Standards Institutes.

If you are interested in helping the abandoned dogs to get through the winter warmly and pleasantly, we will be happy to accept your contributions towards the purchase of the lamps. The price of each lamp is NIS 200.

These days, our laundry room is also working overtime in order to supply the cats and dogs with clean and warm bedding. The person who volunteered to help us out in this mission is no other than Anita Felali, who, in a video clip, calls on all the public to donate blankets, sheets, towels and other means of heating for the animals. These items, as well as your donations for buying heating equipment, will be warmly received in the offices of the SPCA at 159 Herzl Street, Tel Aviv.

We wish you and all the animals a cozy winter.

Thunder on a Cold Winter’s Night

How to diminish the anxiety level of dogs who are afraid of thunder

Na’ama Rolnik, SPCA Adoption Counselor and dog trainer

Many dog owners are familiar with the phenomenon: Winter approaches and with it thunderstorms, frightening dogs and causing them genuine panic attacks. The source of their fear can be traced to their sense of hearing, which is more highly developed than ours; they can dismantle sounds, hear things that we cannot even detect, or, to put it in general terms – every sound that humans hear, dogs hear with greater impact.

Our natural tendency as people is to stroke and comfort anyone we see in distress. When our dog hears loud thunder he usually comes to us for protection. Our instinct to comfort, to stroke, to say in soft tones that everything will be fine and to give a tasty treat to take his mind off the fear, actually perpetuates the fear. Our behavior constitutes positive reinforcement to the dog’s behavior and causes the dog to repeat this behavior in similar, future situations. When we pet the frightened (from thunder, lightning, Purim firecrackers, or fireworks on Independence Day) dog, we are actually reinforcing his anxious behavior.

How can we lessen the anxiety level of dogs?
Don’t ignore the problem. It is important to work with the dog, even if you feel that it will constitute an emotional burden for him. Exposure to noise will also improve the behavior of a mature dog.

Allow the dog to expend energy. When it rains we have a tendency to allow ourselves and our dogs to waive the normal, routine exercises resulting in all his pent-up energy being directed in other directions such as destruction, aggression, or, in this case – fear.

Try to accustom the dog to loud noises from an early age. In the case of dogs who are just a few months old, we recommended exposing them to loud noises such as thunder, firecrackers, buses, trucks, ambulance sirens and any other noise that we meet up with during the normal course of our lives (these sounds can be downloaded from the internet).

Try to act against your instincts, ignore the situation and allow your dog to get over the obstacle by itself.

It’s Cold Outside

A Warm Winter for the Abandoned Cats and Dogs

Autumn has arrived and with it the first cold winds and rains heralding the coming winter. As the winter months approach, we in the Society are busy fixing up all the facilities to ensure that the animals will enjoy the best possible conditions and will not suffer from the winds, cold and rain.

These preparations and all the work involved make heavy demands on our budget, especially installation of the overhead awnings and wind barriers that will protect the animals from the wind and rain, special equipment for heating the enclosures, greater amounts of food and medicines as well as inflated electricity bills. In order to provide all of these for the animals who have found shelter in the Society, we will gladly receive financial donations to cover these expenses, as well as contributions of blankets, towels, sweaters and toys for the pets.

Awnings: The enclosures housing the dogs are divided into two parts – one closed with special resting areas where food and water is placed, and the other is open space giving the dogs the possibility of being out in the air and allowing potential adopters the possibility of seeing each one of the animals. Last year the Society invested a considerable sum installing awnings to protect the animals from wind and rain. These can be opened and closed on demand. As this winter approaches, we wish to complete the installation of these awnings.

Food: In cold conditions, the body needs more “fuel” to keep warm and during the winter months animals, too, are in need of extra food. Each month the Society uses more than a ton of animal food, and in winter the amount is even greater, as is the budget needed to cover these expenses.

Heating: Air-conditioners were installed when the cat home was renovated a couple of years ago. However, in the puppies and small dog departments there are still enclosures that need special warming lamps. Financially, this means increased costs for purchasing expensive equipment as well as soaring electricity bills in the winter months.

Medications and Personnel: The winter months bring with them increased sensitivity to illness amongst dogs and cats, some of whom suffer from respiratory diseases. The treatment and medical care make greater demands on the medication supplies and increased personnel is needed in the veterinary clinic.

We invite you to visit the Society, to choose a new four-legged friend and to offer it a warm home for the coming winter and for the rest of its life. Thank you in advance to our contributors. Wishing you all a warm and pleasant winter.