A British woman living in Marrakesh is using rescue goats, traumatised horses and viral running clubs to spark a revolution in how animals are viewed in Morocco.
Rosanna Dawes, 37, originally from near Brighton, has become known locally for leading groups of runners and hikers through Marrakesh alongside her pet goats, Kiki and Kai, affectionately nicknamed the “Kai-dashians”.
But behind the unusual and fun scenes lies a much deeper mission: fostering empathy for animals in a country where many are still viewed primarily as working tools, livestock or strays.
Rosanna, who previously worked around the world for the British Council before settling in Morocco, now spends nearly every waking hour caring for a small sanctuary of rescued animals, including horses, dogs, goats, chickens, rabbits and cats.
Her project has gained growing attention online through videos of her goats jogging through the city, winning medals in races, hiking in the mountains with visitors, and the intimate glimpses into the personalities of the animals she has rescued.
“I think people begin to see them as individuals rather than objects,” she says. “They all have names, stories and characters. Once people connect with them emotionally, it changes how they think about animals.”
Rosanna’s rescue journey began after adopting a street dog called Wilbur while living in Doha, Qatar. After moving to Morocco for work, she rescued another abandoned puppy from the streets of Marrakesh before eventually taking on her first horse, a severely abused mare described as “dangerous”.
“She wasn’t dangerous,” Rosanna says. “She was traumatised and terrified because of the way she’d been treated.”
The rescue marked a turning point in her life.
Later, Rosanna discovered another horse in shocking condition after being abandoned at a stable.
“I’d seen underweight horses before, but nothing like this,” she says. “I drove away realising I had no choice but to help her.”
Months of specialist rehabilitation transformed the horse’s condition, though the emotional and financial toll was immense.
Rosanna eventually left her job in real estate because juggling full-time work alongside the animals became impossible.
Today, her life revolves around sunrise feeds, hauling heavy hay bales, cleaning stables and sourcing supplies across Marrakesh, often working from dawn until midnight.
In summer, the intense heat means showering the horses several times a day to keep them cool.
“It’s physically exhausting,” she admits. “But the animals keep me going.”
The emotional connection between the animals and the people who visit has become central to her growing project.
Locals and visitors now join Rosanna’s free weekly GOAT Run Club meetings and organised hikes through the mountains surrounding
Marrakesh, where the goats trot alongside runners and walkers, drawing crowds and curious smiles.
The club launched earlier this year after Rosanna completed the Marrakesh half marathon with her lead goat, Kai.
“The response was incredible,” she says. “People were so positive and happy around the goats that it made me realise this could become something bigger.”
She added: “One of my favourite things is seeing children come running out to meet the goats when we pass by. They absolutely love interacting with them, stroking them and walking alongside them. You can see that connection happening instantly, and I think moments like that really help build empathy and kindness towards animals from a young age.”
She now hopes the hiking and running experiences she offers through the GOAT Run Club can eventually fund the sanctuary and reduce reliance on donations.
For Rosanna, however, the project is about far more than tourism.
She believes direct interaction with animals can help challenge long-held attitudes and encourage compassion, particularly towards species people often overlook.
“People are surprised by how affectionate chickens are, or how intelligent and loving goats can be,” she says. “Once you spend time with them, you stop seeing them as ‘just animals’.”
The wider issue of fostering empathy towards animals in Morocco is also now becoming part of international discussions around the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco is set to co-host alongside Spain and Portugal.
The International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition, a global alliance of more than 80 animal welfare organisations, is currently in talks with FIFA about creating a lasting World Cup legacy humane education programme aimed at promoting compassion towards animals and encouraging more humane treatment of free-roaming dogs and other animals across Morocco.
Campaigners hope education initiatives, community engagement and direct interaction with animals, like Rosanna’s GOAT Run Club, could help create long-term cultural change that extends far beyond football.
Find out more at @life_.of_.kai and @goatrunclub_marrakech
