A hard-hitting protest took place outside the World Travel Market at London’s ExCeL Centre yesterday, as campaigners from the International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC) joined forces with member charity PETA to expose the mass killing of dogs in Morocco ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The campaigners screened on laptops, harrowing footage of dogs being shot and beaten in Moroccan streets, images that shocked thousands of visitors entering the global tourism showcase, where Morocco’s official tourism board was among the largest exhibitors.
The IAWPC believes, from the relentless and merciless killing that is happening every single day, that the Moroccan authorities are seeking to kill up to three million free-roaming dogs before the first ball is kicked in the 2030 World Cup, part of what campaigners describe as a “cleansing of the streets” to make cities more appealing to tourists.
Les Ward MBE, chairman of the IAWPC, said: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with the animals and the Moroccan people who are horrified by what is happening in their communities.
“These killings are not only cruel and unnecessary, they are damaging Morocco’s reputation on the world stage. Our campaign calls on the Moroccan government to work with us and international experts to implement humane, effective dog population management instead of violence.”
The IAWPC, which represents more than 80 animal protection organisations worldwide, with the help of Fifa has submitted a revised version of Morocco’s Draft Law 19.25, which seeks to protect dogs and cats under Moroccan law for the first time.
The group’s expert panel of international lawyers and animal welfare specialists recently submitted the redraft to the Moroccan government, offering to help implement a national humane management programme.
Yesterday’s protest aimed to raise awareness among the global travel community and encourage ethical tourism that does not come at the expense of animal suffering.
The IAWPC is urging the travel industry and international tourists to insist that the inhumane killings stop and ‘ethical tourism’, involving humane dog management programmes are introduced . The streets of Moroccomust be remembered for their hospitality, not their horror. At the moment, disgracefully, the European Travel Agents and Tour Operators Association (ECTAA) and ‘affiliate member’, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), are promoting“ Morocco as a destination of excellence”, with ECTAA also making Morocco – their “preferred destination in 2025”.
