THE CAMPAIGN TO END
THE VIOLENT AND INHUMANE
MASS KILLING OF STREET DOGS
IN MOROCCO
Almost every day, individuals acting on behalf of the Moroccan Government, tour the streets:
- Shooting dogs around the clock armed with rifles and pistols. Rarely killed outright, wounding is a major consequence.
- Poisoning dogs using either ‘stick’ type implements with a syringe on the end containing the poison, to stab the unsuspecting dogs in the body, or through the alternative method of feeding them poisoned bait by hand. Inevitably, both practices result in considerable pain, suffering and a lingering death.
- Catching dogs with ‘tong-like’ metal implements, which grab parts of the body and have a painful and debilitating effect, before being brutally dragged along the streets without any care and thrown into vehicles with other terrified dogs, where they are then taken to facilities to be inhumanely killed. All of these methods of inhumane dog management, are condemned and banned in most countries of the world.
In an unprecedented ruling for Morocco, In November 2022, a Judge convicted and fined the Governor of the Nador Province, of killing stray dogs as part of a campaign the municipality carried out. The Judge described the killing as “uncivilized,” done in “brutal ways,” such as shooting and poisoning. He stressed that those practices, “which date back to ancient times, are no longer acceptable.” And continued – “Developed societies are not measured by how they treat humans only, but also how they treat animals,” before stressing, “that such practices do not align with Islamic recommendations” and of the need to treat animals with “compassion and kindness.”
Despite this enlightened and civilised view, it is estimated that over 300,000 street and owned dogs lose their lives every year, as a result of Morocco’s brutal killing methods, often in front of a witnessing public, including children. Those that protest, are intimidated and threatened.
View our e-report here.
CHILDREN ARE BEING TRAUMATISED BY
THE MASS KILLINGS:
The psychological wellbeing and moral development of children, has become a major focus of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
So much so, that in September 2023, the UNCRC issued General Comment 26 (in support of Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child)
which states –
“Children must be protected from all forms of physical and psychological violence and from exposure to violence, such as domestic violence or violence inflicted on animals”.
The brutal killing of dogs in Morocco by the authorities are often carried out in front of children, many of whom have been left deeply traumatised. The footage the International Animal Coalition – IAWPC has gathered and testimony received from both children and adults witnessing it, Morocco is in clear breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and supporting UNCRC General Comment 26.
The International Animal Coalition – IAWPC has written to the UNCRC, urging them to intervene and take urgent action against Morocco to stop the daily mass killings.
The FIFA Council unanimously agreed in October 2023, that the sole candidacy for the FIFA World Cup 2030 would be the combined bid of Morocco, Portugal, and Spain – “subject to the completion of a successful bidding process conducted by FIFA and a decision by the FIFA Congress in 2024” – on the 11th December 2024. Despite being informed by the International Animal Coalition – IAWPC that Morocco is in clear breach of all recognised and acceptable standards of civilised behaviour in relation to the humane treatment, welfare and protection of dogs, as well as in clear breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and supporting UNCRC General Comment 26, FIFA has refused to comment or take action.
Since FIFA made its announcement in October 2023, that Morocco would co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, the inhumane and barbaric killing has increased. The ‘breaches’ that the International Animal Coalition – IAWPC made FIFA aware of, are already detrimentally manifesting themselves publicly. That FIFA’s most prestigious tournament, is being used as the driver for co-host Morocco, to accelerate their brutality and inhumanely kill many more dogs.
The belief that as many as 3-MILLION MOROCCAN DOGS ARE UNDER THREAT OF LOSING THEIR LIVES BEFORE THE START OF THE 2030 FIFA WORLD CUP, is supported by the construction by the Government, of new, so-called “animal dispensaries” for dogs, around its major cities where FIFA World Cup matches will be played. Many believe that these are ‘killing stations’, established to ‘permanently’ remove from behind closed doors, the street dogs from the streets of Morocco.
The International Animal Coalition – IAWPC calls on FIFA to stand by its publicly stated commitment to respect internationally recognised ‘human rights’ and demand, that Morocco stops its violent mass extermination of dogs and the resulting trauma it causes to children. The mass killing of street dogs in Morocco ahead of the FIFA World Cup is cruel, shameful and unnecessary. FIFA should place Morocco as a co-host on hold, until it ceases to perpetrate these atrocities and a legally binding undertaking is given, to immediately introduce, humane measures nationwide.