Feral Dog Population Explosion in West Bank Threatens Israel With Rabies, Expert Warns

Israel faces a growing threat from rabies as a surge in feral dog populations in the northern West Bank brings the disease closer to urban centers, warns the chief scientist of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Professor Dror Hawlena stated that while foxes and jackals were previous concerns, feral dogs are now the primary worry.

Recent incidents highlight the escalating danger. Rabid jackals attacked campers by the Sea of Galilee, and a rabid puppy adopted in Pisgat Ze'ev, near the West Bank, was later found to have rabies after being walked in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and traveling on public transport. This endangered dozens of people and other animals.

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In the past, we worried about rabid foxes, then jackals, but last year and this year, the main concern is over [rabid] feral dogs.

While rabies is fatal to animals and humans, post-exposure vaccination can prevent the disease in people. The only recent human fatality from rabies in Israel occurred in 2024 when an unvaccinated dog bite victim sought medical attention too late. The increase in jackals and feral dogs in northern Israel is partly attributed to waste left by soldiers during ongoing conflict near the Lebanese border. Southern Israel also sees rising cases of feral dogs, particularly near Bedouin communities with poor sanitation, though rabies has not yet been a major issue there.

However, Hawlena's greatest concern is the "crazy increase" in feral dogs in the northern West Bank, which he fears will spread across the Green Line into Israel's major cities. Agriculture Ministry figures show 75 rabies cases this year, with dogs and jackals accounting for the majority, a significant rise from previous years.

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Our great fear was that it would move over the Green Line into Israel, and we are at the start of such an event. We’ve warned about this. There’s a fear it will come into the big urban centers of Israel.