Rivlin encouraged the public to adopt dogs and to discover about themselves a deep love.
By KEREN PREISKELUpdated: APRIL 6, 2016 19:21President Reuven Rivlin and his wife, Nechama, spend quality time with a puppy(photo credit: YOAV BEN-DOV AND KHAI HELLER)
The President’s Residence gracefully opens its doors to myriad visitors.However, on Monday President Reuven Rivlin hosted a different breed entirely: four-legged guests at the first Dog Adoption Day to take place there.The adoption day was the brainchild of animal charity Tnu Lehayot Lehiyot (Let the Animals Live) in coordination with Noah, the umbrella for Israeli animal organizations.Other dog charities, such as Jerusalem Loves Animals and Rishon Loves Animals, also participated, with approximately 40 dogs gracing (and sometimes desecrating) the grassy area of the official residence.The event, which was open to members of the public who had registered in advance, was also attended by veteran animal lover Orna Banai, of the famous showbiz clan, and former Channel 10 news producer Miki Haimovich, both of whom lent their support and spoke at the event.Prior to the official part of the event, human and canine guests mingled and took part in the sumptuous vegan buffet that consisted of crudités, dips, cakes and fruit. Sam, the dog that I was looking after, proved to be particularly fond of the cucumbers, carrots and bread sticks. Appropriate canine-themed songs, such as “Who Let the Dogs Out” and well-known Israeli hit “Po Kavur Hakelev” (The Dog Is Buried Here) played in the background.Orna Banai and the indefatigable Etti Altman of Tnu Lehayot Lehiyot opened the speeches, saying that holding such an event at the President’s Residence had been a long-standing dream of hers, one that began to seem possible with the appointment of Rivlin, a vegetarian and animal lover.Altman thanked the president for hosting such a special event “on behalf of the thousands of dogs who still need homes,” and expressed the hope that everyone would leave with a new friend.Rivlin then took to the podium amidst much applause, dedicating the event to the memory of his dog, Stefan, whom he described as being the most special of all the dogs that he had ever owned, who was truly a member of the family and who grew alongside their children.The president acknowledged that it isn’t easy to take care of dogs. It is necessary to vaccinate them, feed them and take them for at least two walks a day (and at the same time, he reminded people to keep Israel tidy by cleaning up after their dogs). Yet he emphasized that it is easier to take care of a dog than to live without one, and that there is something refreshing about a dog – which is free of political manipulations, revengefulness and duplicity.Rivlin encouraged the public to adopt dogs and to discover about themselves a deep love, also citing the known benefits for children’s emotional development, combating feelings of loneliness, high blood pressure and even aiding people with Alzheimer’s.Several puppies were adopted at the event, including two siblings adopted by neighboring families in Modi’in. While unfortunately not all of the pooches found new homes, it successfully focused much-needed awareness on the plight of the many dogs in shelters who desperately need homes, and gave a presidential seal of approval to them being man’s best friends! For further details about adopting dogs in Israel, check out the Facebook pages of: Tnu Lehayot Lehiyot https:// www.facebook.com/LetLive.Israel/?fref=ts Jerusalem Loves Animals https://www.facebook.com/ jerusalemlovesanimals/ Rishon Loves Animals https:// www.facebook.com/rishon.loves.animals/?fref=ts
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