Jewish Law
Halacha and Pets: Feeding or Trapping on Shabbat
A helpful halachic guide for pet owners: what’s allowed when caring for animals on Shabbat and what’s not
Is it permitted to open a cage to feed your animals?
According to halacha (Jewish law), it depends on the type of cage. If you're feeding animals kept in a large cage, you should create a double-door system. That means having one outer door and one inner door. Before opening the inner door, make sure the outer door is securely closed. This way, there’s no chance the animal can escape while you’re feeding it.
If you're dealing with a small cage where you simply need to reach your hand inside to place food then it’s allowed, as long as you’re careful that the animal can’t escape, even for a second. This ruling appears in Chazon Ovadia.
Is it forbidden to trap domestic animals?
Generally, domestic animals like pets or farm animals that are used to humans don’t run away from people. Because of that, there is no halachic prohibition of trapping them. However, if the animal has become rebellious, meaning it’s trying to avoid being caught and runs away then trapping it would be a problem. This is discussed in Chazon Ovadia.
