Morocco has started killing stray dogs as part of a campaign linked to preparation for the 2030 World Cup. Weeks ago, reports emerged that the North African nation would cull more than three million dogs ahead of the sporting extravaganza. Animal rights activists alleged that this was being done to make the country appealing to tourists, fans and media during the World Cup, and dispel any negative image that is associated with strays. Now they claim that Morocco has started killing the dogs using brutal means. The country was named co-hosts for the 2023 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal in 2023. Animal welfare organisations are sharing images showing the brutality being committed against the dogs. They allege the dogs are being caught through horrific means. They are being clamped by the neck and loaded in trucks before being poisoned or shot by a firing squad. Their bodies are then disposed of in mass graves.
Marrakech has reportedly become the designated "kill centre" where dogs are being killed in warehouses. A local report published last month suggested that the dogs are taken to the facility, which has meat hooks and washable flooring, in vans where they are "processed". Some witnesses also alleged that in a few places, the dogs are being starved and then burned alive. The International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition (IAWPC) claims Morocco has committed similar atrocities ahead of big events in the past. The organisation also blamed FIFA for indirectly enabling the practice.
The organisations have gathered all evidence of the brutalities and compiled them in a 91-page dossier. They have submitted the same to FIFA to prove how the stray dogs are being poisoned, shot and burned. However, they are concerned that their pleas are falling on deaf ears. "After the [World Cup confirmation], the extermination of the dogs has increased dramatically. As a result, the fear is that Morocco will now go ahead with their plan for the mass slaughter of three million dogs," IAWPC said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail quoted a FIFA spokesperson as saying that at the time of the confirmation, Morocco stated that it was committed to animal welfare. "With the bidding process now completed, FIFA is following up with its local counterparts to ensure commitments are upheld," the FIFA spokesperson said.
