The grisly remains of tagged and vaccinated dogs have been discovered in the region covered by Morocco’s flagship animal welfare centre as outrage grows over the killings of millions of pups ahead of the country hosting the 2030 World Cup.
The dogs were discovered in Salé, near Rabat, in an area covered by the heavily promoted El Aarjate TNVR facility, the centre showcased to international media last year as evidence that Morocco had embraced a modern and humane “Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return” approach to managing its vast population of free-roaming dogs.
Instead, local rescuers say sterilised and vaccinated animals bearing official identification tags were systematically killed and left for dead in broad daylight.
The shocking incident unfolded on Saturday, May 9, when members of Al-Huda Association for Biodiversity and Cat Care say dog catchers poisoned dogs in the Corniche areas of Hay Al-Amal and Hay Chmaou.
In a furious statement, the group said: “The city of Salé witnessed a systematic killing of sterilized and vaccinated dogs. The dogs were poisoned and left, which is against the law and human norms. The perpetrators were caught in the act, and we have photos and videos that we are withholding for now.”
The association stressed that the animals were not strays in the conventional sense, but officially sterilised and vaccinated dogs, identifiable by the “Tanga” marks in their ears and supported by full veterinary records and health documentation.
The group added: “What happened is a moral and legal crime against animals, indicating a serious lack of accountability.”
The grim discovery comes after Moroccan authorities invited journalists to the El Aarjate facility near Rabat in an apparent attempt to counter mounting international criticism over allegations that as many as three million dogs are being culled ahead of the World Cup, which Morocco is co-hosting with Spain and Portugal in 2030.
During the carefully managed media visit, reporters were shown clean kennels, fresh food bowls and staff gently petting dogs in their care.
The centre’s veterinarian, Youssef Lhor, told assembled media: “Slaughtering dogs leads to nothing… This TNVR strategy is not a miracle solution, but it is an element that will add to everything else we’re doing.”
But campaigners say the deaths in Salé expose a brutal reality playing out beyond the cameras.
The International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition, an alliance of more than 80 animal welfare organisations campaigning to end the killings, says it documents reports of dogs being shot, poisoned and beaten on a weekly basis, often in full view of horrified residents and tourists.
Les Ward MBE, chairman of the coalition, said the latest deaths demolished the carefully crafted image Morocco has attempted to present to the world.
He said: “These poor dogs had already been sterilised and vaccinated. They were tagged, documented and supposedly protected under the very system Morocco has been proudly presenting to the international community.
“What we are seeing in Salé is the complete unravelling of the narrative. The CNVR centre was presented to the public as evidence of compassion and reform, yet in its own coverage area, dogs are allegedly being poisoned in the streets.
“The IAWPC continues to receive and document reports every single week of horrific cruelty towards dogs across Morocco. Many of these killings happen openly, in front of members of the public, including children. It is impossible to reconcile these realities with the polished image being presented to FIFA and the wider world.”
The coalition says Morocco must immediately halt all killing of free-roaming dogs and commit to a genuinely nationwide humane CNVR (catch, neuter, vaccinate, return) programme, backed by independent monitoring and enforceable animal welfare laws.
Campaigners are also calling on FIFA to intervene publicly and demand binding animal welfare guarantees before the 2030 World Cup proceeds.
