Buy one get one sheep

An electric goods shop in Israel has drawn controversy by offering to throw in a free sheep for anyone buying electrical goods. The two-white-goods-for-one promotion was aimed at Israeli Arab customers ahead of Eid al-Adha, this week's Islamic festival of sacrifice.



The store in Tiberias, north Israel, gave a live animal to anyone spending more than 1,000 shekels - about £200, or the price of a fridge. Several of the animals were penned outside the shop and anyone eligible could help themselves.

That was not always an easy task - trussed up and subdued sheep had to be stuffed into car boots and trailers alongside boxed electrical goods. Their new owners were likely to slaughter them as part of the festival, which Muslims around the world celebrate by killing animals such as sheep, goats and cows to mark Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for God.



The offer drew controversy and a visit from government animal welfare inspectors. Vets from the Tiberias municipality descended on the store and halted the promotion. The surviving sheep were taken to an animal shelter.