The main activities of the VSAH are:

·       prevention, control and eradication of animal diseases and zoonoses;

·       diagnosis, monitoring and surveillance of animal diseases;

·       supervision of rabies control;

·       animal welfare;

·       control of import and export of animals and animal products;

·       testing and licensing veterinary vaccines, insecticides and disinfectants;

·       co-licensing, with the Ministry of Health, of veterinary pharmaceuticals;

·       supervision of municipal veterinary departments;

·       cooperation with the Poultry and Egg Marketing Board, on avian product hygiene;

·       supervision of meat inspection and veterinary control of slaughterhouses and abattoirs for local and export markets, and of processing of animal products for food intended for export;

·        licensing of food industries;

·       national surveillance of residues in foods of animal origin;

·       research and development in veterinary science and medicine;

·       licensing of veterinarians;

·       representation of Israel in official international veterinary organizations;

·       extension - informing the general public and veterinarian profession on veterinary related issues.

The VSAH administrative offices are located at Bet Dagan, along with the largest of the VSAH branches - the Kimron Veterinary Institute (KVI). Other centrally located offices are those of the Director of the Field VSAH, the Control of Import/Exports and of Quarantine, the Chief Poultry Veterinarian who supervises seven regional diagnostic laboratories, and the office for the Control of Animal Products.

 The VSAH, including the KVI, employs 281 people, of whom 193 are permanent employees, and 88 who are recruited for specific research and disease eradication programs. Half of these work in diagnosis and research, while the other half are employed in inspection and control. The VSAH administration and maintenance services are also located at Bet Dagan.

The VSAH may delegate authority and responsibilities to veterinarians not directly in its employ, such as veterinarians  employed by municipal authorities. These bodies employ approximately 300 people, including 170 veterinarians, 25 microbiologists and 80 veterinary inspectors, mainly in rabies control and abattoirs.  There are approximately 1500 licensed veterinarians in Israel. About 400 private practitioners are accredited to vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies, with subsequent reporting to the municipal veterinary authorities.

Close relationships exist between the VSAH and "Hachaklait" (a cooperative society of clinical veterinary services for farm animals), farmers' associations, the Milk Marketing Board, the Poultry Marketing Board that operates 7 regional Poultry diagnostic laboratories, the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, various government offices - particularly the Ministries of Health, Interior, Industry and Trade, Treasury and Environment, the Local Government Center, the Nature Reserves Authority, commercial organizations dealing with animal products, consumer associations, the Insurance Fund for Natural Risks in Agriculture, animal welfare societies, the Institute of Standards, and international organizations such as OIE, FAO, IDF and WHO, the European Union, the USDA, USAID.

 The Field Veterinary Services (FVS) operate through nine regional Veterinary Offices and are responsible for the prophylaxis and control of animal diseases by performing annual vaccinations and testing against: FMD, Brucella, TB, etc. The FVS operate in 1482 dairy herds in 455 farms, in 618 beef cattle holdings in 288 locations, in 4927 sheep flocks in 1540 farms and locations and in 1866 goat flocks in 347 farms and locations. The FVS are responsible for inspection, monitoring and licensing of livestock movement within the country.