Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) believes that neutering and spaying dogs and cats to prevent their reproducing contradicts Jewish law, according to a report in Yediot Aharonot Monday.

The newspaper said that Ariel wants to take the NIS 4.5 million budget that is currently allotted to spaying and neutering, and use it “to transfer cats and/or dogs of one sex (all males or all females) to a foreign country that will agree to receive them”

Ariel reportedly sees the current policy of neutering and spaying as contradicting Judaism because it causes the animals unnecessary suffering and because God blessed all creatures with the blessing of procreation – “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.”

He has reportedly stopped the ministry’s spaying and neutering project.

Meretz MK Tamar Zandberg wants to convince Ariel to rethink his idea.

“The spaying and neutering of street cats is the only step currently being taken to prevent the population of street cats from growing and for improving their health,” she claimed. “Stopping this activity will lead to a dramatic rise in the number of kittens born every year and this in turn will mean that more street cats will die of hunger, thirst, cold, dehydration and more.”