The Rishon Letzion Magistrates Court ruled the pedigreed puppies that were smuggled into the country on a flight from Uzbekistan would remain in Israel for another month to receive additional veterinary treatment.
Regarding the plea issued by Let Animals Live against the decision reached by the Agriculture Ministry Vet Services to board the puppies on a flight back to Uzbekistan, Magistrates Court Judge Eytan Orenstein said “sending the puppies to their native country now would be abuse,” thus backing the claim that the pups may not survive the flight.
The fact that some of the dogs have died in quarantine strengthened the claim that flying the puppies back to Uzbekistan at this time would endanger their lives.
Attorney Kobi Sudri, who represented Let Animals Live in the court proceedings, said, “The court determined the decisions of Vet Services Director (Dr. Moshe Haimovitch) are not immune to judicial critique.”
The Israel Airports Authority veterinarian had prevented the pups’ entrance into the country under the claim that international laws prohibit the entry of unvaccinated animals.
Ben-Gurion Airport authorities had already boarded the pups on a plane en route to Uzbekistan when the control tower received word of a restraining order issued by a Rehovot judge following the plea by Let Animals Live.