The Ministry of Agriculture released its annual report summarizing the data available on Israeli dogs.
According to the ministry, there are nearly 500,000 dogs registered in Israel – 235,929 female dogs and 240,933 male dogs, up from 225,092 dogs and 230,715 dogs in 2017.
The average Israeli dog is 6.5 years old.
Some 56,219 new dogs were born and added to the Ministry of Agriculture database in the past year.
Most Israeli dogs live in Tel Aviv, according to the report. In 2018, 36,076 dogs lived in the White City, followed by 15,569 in Rishon Lezion, and 15,194 in Haifa.
Beersheva and Jerusalem were not too far behind, with 14,207 and 13,760 dogs, respectively.
Tel Avivians tend to have multiple dogs. The report noted that 9.5% of Tel Aviv dog owners have more than one dog.
If you don’t like dogs, then it seems it is best to live is in a haredi community. Localities with the fewest dogs are Modiin Illit with four dogs and Rechasim with five.
What are the top five most popular dogs in Israel?
The Shih Tzu is the most popular dog in Israel (up from third place last year). The ministry reports 18,293 Shih Tzu dogs compared to 15,615 in 2017.
Last year’s most popular pup, the Pekingese – an ancient breed of toy dog - was dropped to second place after three consecutive years. And No. 3 is the German Shepherd, a breed of medium to large-sized working dog.
The Pinscher came in fifth place.
What is the most popular name for 2018?
The name given to more dogs born in Israel this year than any other is Toy (379), likely named after the song by 2018 Eurovision winner Neta Barzilai. Other popular names: Louis (286) was among the most popular for male dogs, and Luna (279) and Bell (263) were popular for females.
Some original names that appeared on the list: Zanzibar and YouTube.
The Ministry of Agriculture promotes dog adoption and proper care of animals. The ministry set aside NIS 650,000 for local authorities to hold adoption days. Furthermore, it has committed NIS 2 million to provide what it calls an “adoption basket” for pet owners to obtain the services required to care for their animals.