In light of the severe animal abuse seen in the Kolbotek report in the Shlomei Zoglovek slaughterhouse, the Ministry of Agriculture has stepped in and halted operations in the plant pending its own investigation. As was reported earlier, Zoglovek is Israel’s largest purveyor of cold cuts and deli, and it was recently the subject of a Kolbotek report that shocked the nation by showing widespread abuse of chickens and turkeys prior to shechita.

Officials point out that it is clear from the Kolbotek video footage that the factory is in violation of the nation’s animal cruelty laws, which has prompted widespread protest, especially from the vegan and animal rights communities.

The ministry has prohibited continued use of the outdated cages used to hold the chickens prior to slaughter. The animal rights groups however are not satisfied and unwilling to permit the past to be forgotten. They plan to go to court seeking justice – they want the appropriate company officials to be held legally accountable. They promise to shut the operation down and they are willing to go all the way to the Supreme Court to achieve their goal.

Some 300 animal rights activists took part in an erev Shabbos protest against Zoglovek in Tel Aviv.

MK Reuven Rivlin posted a message to his Facebook page to express his outrage over the total disregard for animal rights in the factory.

MK Dov Lipman sent a harshly worded letter to the directorate of Zoglovek in which he said “you should be ashamed of yourselves”, citing the need to adhere to Torah and state laws, adding he personally will no longer be buying the company’s products.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)