Three million dogs could be slaughtered for Morocco FIFA World Cup bid
Thousands of dogs have already been rounded up and killed as Morocco prepares for its World Cup bid next month, with campaigners warning that the situation could worsen.
Thousands of stray dogs are being killed across Morocco, according to animal welfare organizations, as part of the country’s bid to host the 2030 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.
If Morocco’s bid to co-host the games with Portugal and Spain is successful, campaigners estimate that up to three million dogs could be killed in the lead-up to the tournament.
King Mohammed VI gave a royal order to end Morocco’s decades-long massacre of homeless dogs and cats in 2019. Despite this, authorities allegedly continue to kill the animals, with the police often ignoring incidents, according to the International Animal Coalition (IAC).
The IAC, who have launched a campaign to end the killings, claims that dogs are being poisoned with strychnine, administered through bait or injections.
The group also released footage this week, showing dogs being hunted down, violently seized with metal clamps, and thrown onto trucks on top of other animals. They are then transported to facilities where they are killed using inhumane methods, including beatings.
Gunmen also reportedly roam the areas with rifles and pistols to shoot the animals, leaving those who do not die immediately to bleed out. The dogs all end up in mass graves, many while still conscious.
In cities like Marrakech and Agadir, campaigners estimate that between 60 and 70 dogs are being killed every other day.
“For years, the Government of Morocco has shown no remorse for any of its actions, hoping that its ‘ugly secret’ remains hidden from international eyes,” Les Ward, the Chair of the IAC told The Mirror. “Dogs, street and owned that form part of the fabric of Morocco, are treated like garbage to be disposed of by any means. Children that witness the killings are being traumatized. Calls and protests by growing numbers of Moroccan people are ignored and often met with harassment and intimidation.”
FIFA will vote on Morocco's proposal to co-host with Spain and Portugal on December 11, but IAC is urging the football association to reconsider Morocco’s bid unless conditions are included to prohibit the inhumane methods currently being used to kill stray dogs. The coalition warns that without such measures, the situation for the animals will get even worse if the bid is approved.
“FIFA has been presented with the evidence about what is going on yet has refused to act,” said Ward. “The killings have centred around proposed tournament venues and reach a peak before FIFA site visits. This is unacceptable and something many football fans will be furious to learn. FIFA must act now to stop the cruel dog killings in Morocco. Until this happens, Morocco should be suspended as a co-host.”
Species Unite has reached out to FIFA, the Moroccan Football Federation, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the United States for comment.
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