Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo has thrown his global star power behind a campaign to stop the killing of millions of dogs in Morocco ahead of the 2030 World Cup, telling his 22.6 million followers that preparing for a sporting spectacle “should not be built on suffering”.
The Oscar-nominated star took to Instagram and X to urge fans to “choose compassion, not violence” and to sign a petition calling on the Moroccan government to halt what campaigners describe as cruel killings of street dogs.
“Killing millions of dogs to prepare for a global sporting event is not progress, it’s a moral failure,” Ruffalo wrote. “The World Cup should unite the world, not be built on suffering that happens behind closed doors. Humane solutions exist, and choosing compassion over violence is a responsibility we all share.”
In one post, he shared an image highlighting concerns that Moroccan street dogs are “in danger due to FIFA World Cup”, and tagged the International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition, IAWPC.
Supporters quickly flooded the comments. “Thank you for speaking out on this!” wrote one follower. Another added, “Humans are so damn disgusting I cannot fathom putting any creature through such a horrific death. It’s beyond cruel, it’s devastating! Thank you for bringing this to light with your large platform!”
The IAWPC, a coalition of more than 80 animal welfare organisations including the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and PETA, has been campaigning for humane dog population management in Morocco. The group says that prior to the World Cup announcement, around 300,000 free-roaming dogs were being killed annually, and fears that figure could rise dramatically as the tournament approaches.
Instead, the coalition is urging authorities to implement nationwide internationally accepted, humane catch, neuter, vaccinate and release programmes, alongside robust and enforced animal welfare legislation. The IAWPC is in dialogue with FIFA over Morocco’s Draft Law 19.25, pressing for amendments that would strengthen protections for dogs and cats.
Les Ward MBE, chairman of the IAWPC, said: “We are enormously grateful to Mark Ruffalo for using his powerful global platform to raise awareness of this issue,” he said. “When someone with 22 million followers speaks out, people listen and are shocked by what is happening in Morocco. The World Cup should be a celebration of unity and sport, not associated with the suffering of vulnerable animals. Mark’s support helps shine an international spotlight on the urgent need for an end to the violence and inhumanity and the introduction of humane solutions.”
