An animal defender has tragically died in Morocco while trying to rescue a stray mother dog and her puppies from the brutal World Cup “clean up.”
French Egyptian national David Youwakim, 41, was killed in a motorcycle accident at the weekend, in what friends and fellow campaigners described as an act of “unimaginable courage and compassion.”
As part of preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, authorities in Morocco have intensified mass killings of stray dogs – a policy that has horrified both locals and international campaigners. David was trying to save a mother dog and her pups from this fate when the accident occurred.
He had devoted his life to street animals, rescuing scores of dogs and cats from abuse, neglect, and certain death. His legacy, say those who knew him, is that of a more compassionate Morocco, where every life matters.
French-Moroccan actress and animal activist Ouidad Elma, who was close friends with David and spoke with him the night he died, paid a moving tribute.
She wrote: “I lost a loved one, a brother, a guide. David, you had this power of heart. Thank you for everything you did for Morocco.
Your loss is immeasurable for us all. You saved hundreds of animals here in just a year and a half.
“You dedicated your life to them. But you were tired, David. Tired of the violence, the ignorance and the neglect towards animals. You died in a motorbike accident trying to save this mother dog and her puppies. You had the strength of a thousand men and we will continue in your footsteps. You were an angel, David. I love you.”
In a tribute video released this week, Debbie Wilson, campaigner at the International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC), said: “David gave everything he had to the animals of Morocco. He was fearless in the face of cruelty, and tireless in his compassion.”
Les Ward MBE, chairman of the IAWPC, added: “David’s death is a personal tragedy for all who knew him, but it is also symbolic of the wider tragedy facing animals in Morocco and beyond. He died as he lived, fighting to save the defenceless. His passing should remind us that while one life has been lost, the fight for compassion must go on.”
Social media has been flooded with tributes to the animal hero. One mourner wrote: “Morocco loses an amazing person. A being with a huge heart. Of extraordinary kindness. Rest in peace now away from man’s cruelty. Such great sadness… There are so few people in Morocco who take care of living beings.”
Another added: “Proof that just one person can make a difference, that with willingness and love, we can change the fates of the voiceless. His fight will not end with him: he will live on in every animal he saved, in every person he inspired, and in every act of compassion we will do in his memory.”
Campaigners say his tragic passing must be a turning point. Morocco must end the mass killings of animals and adopt proven, humane solutions such as neutering and vaccination programmes.
David’s story has become a symbol of both the cruelty animals face and the courage of those who fight for them. His legacy will endure in the lives he saved, and in the hope of building a kinder world for animals.
