Ending Live Animal Shipments

?What are Live Imports/Exports

Live Exports are the common term for the import/export of live animals (in Israel it is calves and lambs)– often times just a few months old – for the purpose of fattening them and slaughtering them.

Every year, about 235,000 calves and over 365,000 lambs arrive in Israel on grueling journeys via ships. These numbers do not include the hundreds of thousands passing through Israeli ports on their way to the Palestinian Authority.

The calves and lambs suffer inherently from transport itself, from frequent relocations, from the breakdown of their herd-families, from close interaction with humans, from sea journeys, and from air shipments.

Live exports originate from various countries, including European countries, South America and Australia.

The ship journey can last anywhere from 4 to 24 days.

?Who Are we

Israel Against Live Shipments was founded in 2014, almost by accident.

Two long time activists, took a vacation to Eilat – and instead of a beautiful scenery, they were met by three trucks loaded with animals arriving from Australia.

This encounter led them to the launch of the campaign, with the goal of exposing this cruel, violent, and dangerous trade: one in which animals suffer and perish, while diseases are imported into the country.

Since then, the organization has been working day and night to stop live exports to Israel. Israel Against Live Shipments sparked the fight against this practice in 2014, and has made the topic a central issue in the animal protection movement in Israel for the last decade.

The organization is considered a world leader in the movement against live animal imports/exports.

The goal of the Israel Against Live Shipments campaign is a complete end of this trade to Israel.

The association works to raise public awareness through investigations, documentation, and influencing legislation at the Knesset (Israeli parliament).

Our Achievements to date

🚫 Stopping live animal imports via air (since 2016, following our exposure).

🌍 International exposures and investigations presented in parliaments and media worldwide.

🛑 Temporary suspensions of live imports from infected countries (such as Portugal and Romania).

📜 Proposed bills for end to the trade – which only passed a preliminary call

📑 A scathing State Comptroller report on the industry.

🎤 Keeping the issue at the forefront of the political and public agenda.

Our Documentations

Since the establishment of the organization, we have documented more than 1,300 ships that carried millions of animals.

Thanks to the materials we have gathered, we published dozens of investigations that stirred the media in Israel and worldwide: from the death of animals already in trucks in Europe, to the outbreaks or import of dangerous diseases to the severe violence against animals during unloading, and more.

?What’s Ahead

The struggle is moving to the next stage – practical, legal, and international:

✊ Efforts to complete a ban on live exports through legislation.

⚖️ Filing a juridical petition.

🌍 Assisting other countries in exposing the truth and moving legislation abroad

📢 Submitting documented complaints to the Ministry of Agriculture related to the ongoing cruelty

?Why Are We Doing This

The animals cry and scream, but people choose not to understand or to look away – so we are their voice. When people are exposed to the truth this increases public and political pressure for a complete end to live animal imports.

So, Join Us, The change begins here.