Moroccan dog killings leave young man shot in the eye as international coalition condemns ‘reckless and inhumane’ actions
A coalition of global animal welfare and protection organisations, has condemned the actions of officials in Morocco after a young man was shot in the eye during a night-time dog-killing operation in a residential neighbourhood.
The incident happened on January 28 in the Rk Ashbar area, just outside the historic city walls of Taroudant, when firearms were being used to kill street dogs. A shotgun pellet struck a man in his twenties in the right eye as he was walking home, leaving him injured and in need of urgent medical care.
According to local reports, the injured man asked for an ambulance but was initially refused assistance by members of the group carrying out the dog killings. However, when residents started to gather at the scene, the district commander eventually transported the victim to Mokhtar Soussi Provincial Hospital.
Local media says that the young man later described his shock and distress at being shot in the eye. He reported ongoing pain, anxiety and a sense of injustice at having to pay for medical treatment that he can’t afford, that had been caused through the actions of the dog killing team.
Now the International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC), which is made up of 81 organisations including the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and PETA, has issued a strong condemnation, warning that the killing of dogs with firearms in populated areas represents a serious threat to public safety as well as an inhumane approach to animal management.
Taroudant sits within the wider Souss-Massa region, one of Morocco’s fastest-developing areas, currently undergoing significant infrastructure expansion and urban development ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The region has been the focus of increased investment in transport, tourism and public works as Morocco prepares to co-host the global tournament, raising fresh concerns about public safety, governance and the treatment of both people and animals during this period of rapid change linked to FIFA World Cup 2030.
Les Ward MBE, chairman of the IAWPC, said the incident exposed the dangers of what he described as brutal and outdated practices.
“This young man did not suffer a freak accident, he was the victim of reckless actions that should never take place in residential areas,” he said. “Shooting dogs puts human lives at risk, as this shocking case makes painfully clear. No one should be injured, blinded or traumatised because authorities choose violence over responsible solutions. Unfortunately, the shooting of this man in Taroudant is not an isolated incident. In 2019, a child was also shot by a dog killing team and in January 2025, another man was shot by a killing team in Ben Ahmed whilst he stood at the side of a road waiting for a taxi.
Ward continued: “These shocking incidents are always likely where live ammunition is dangerously and ridiculously being used in public areas to kill dogs. The IAWPC has been warning about this for some time and sadly, we doubt these life-threatening incidents will be the last”.
He added that the incident highlighted wider failures in governance and care.
“What we are seeing is not only cruelty towards animals, but a disturbing disregard for people, especially those with limited means. Humane, evidence-based approaches exist, and they protect communities rather than endanger them. Continuing to kill dogs in this way is indefensible.”
Animal protection organisations argue that the incident demonstrates the urgent need to abandon the killing of dogs altogether, calling instead for proven, non-violent programmes such as Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return, which are backed by international veterinary and public health experts.
The IAWPC is calling for an immediate halt to the use of firearms against dogs, a transparent investigation into how the incident was allowed to happen and accountability for those who authorised or took part in the operation and initially refused assistance to the wounded man.
“Regrettably, this is another wake-up call,” Mr Ward said. “Public safety is built on law, compassion and competence. This means beyond all doubt, that the negligent stupidity of using firearms and live ammunition to kill dogs on the streets of Morocco has no place within a civilised society.”
