Landlady refuses to open door: authorities discover children in squalid conditions

On Wednesday, a joint enforcement operation took place in Haifa, involving inspectors from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Central Unit for Enforcement and Investigations (Pitzuach), veterinary services, Israel Police, and municipal welfare representatives. The raid followed complaints regarding animal hoarding and neglect.

Upon arrival with a search warrant, the landlady refused to open the door and actively resisted. Firefighters were called to the scene to break down the door. Both the landlady and a neighbor who interfered with the operation were arrested by the Israel Police.

Inside, inspectors encountered severe sanitary hazards. The apartment was sealed and filled with a foul stench, with furniture and floors covered in urine and feces, alongside an infestation of insects. During the search, authorities discovered two children with special needs: a seven-year-old minor wearing only a diaper and a man in his 20s. It is suspected that both had been confined to the home for a long period. Welfare authorities were summoned, and the children were rescued and placed under their care.

Eight cats, including kittens, were found in appalling conditions. One kitten was rescued while dying. All animals were transferred to a Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security facility for urgent veterinary treatment and rehabilitation. Criminal proceedings against the landlady are currently being evaluated.

"Keeping animals in appalling conditions while creating a sanitary hazard is a serious offense that we view with great severity. This case is particularly painful and complex because, in addition to the animals that were harmed, children were also staying in the place in unbearable conditions," said Moshe Arak, Director of the Pitzuach unit.