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Rabat – In recent years, activists and NGOs in Morocco have been active in raising alarms about the situation of stray animals, emphasizing humanitarian and ethical concerns surrounding their welfare.
The appeals come as many videos have documented and continue to depict the struggle of stray animals, especially dogs and cats, on the streets and in shelters.
One of the most disturbing videos documenting the inhumane conditions that stray animals are subjected to was filmed in April of last year. Graphic footage showed hungry puppies and dogs feeding on dead dogs’ flesh in an abandoned stray dogs shelter near Rabat.
The video went viral, causing activists and everyday citizens alike to react with expressions of shock and disgust.
Several NGOs in the country have also raised concerns about the fate of stray animals, including Morocco Animal Aid, which issued an appeal against an eviction targeting their shelter in Agadir.
The charity organization contacted Morocco World News (MWN), appealing attention and intervention from executives about local authorities’ alleged threats to seize dogs from a shelter in Acersif, a town 68 kilometers away from Agadir in the Souss-Massa region, without providing the NGO with a “legal reason.”
Volunteers with puppies
In an interview with MWN, the founders of the charity emphasized that the threats to confiscate the dogs come despite the shelter being registered and with a valid rental agreement.
Lucy Austin and Fanny Belle, who are the leaders behind the animal aid organization, said that local authorities came to the shelter on March 5 in a truck to seize the animals.
“At this point in time, we had not been made aware of any court proceedings against us,” the founders told MWN, noting that they were taken by surprise to not be given any legal basis.
The charity organization has sought legal advice, in which they have been informed that there has been a court ruling against them without their consent or knowledge.
“The judgment had apparently been issued and resulted in an eviction order, although we had not been given the opportunity to exercise our right to defend and present our case,” the charity founders said, adding that the authorities had not returned since their first appearance to the shelter.
In this waiting period, fear remains among the shelter organization, as they are afraid authorities will return again for an eviction attempt
“We sent an official request for a delay to the Souss-Massa Wilaya and the Agadir Ida Outanane prefecture,” the founders said, adding that they have been notified that the eviction will be carried out eventually.
The organization detailed that two letters left in the shelter “did not comply” with provisions, stipulating that summons must be delivered in a sealed envelope to bear the address, the date of notification, as well as the receipt information.
Document shared with MWN from MAA, showing a demand request for renting a land for dogs shelter purposes
“Neither of the two letters delivered to our shelter met these legal obligations. None of them were sealed and there was also no certificate attached to these letters.”
Court eviction order
The eviction order means that the shelter needs to relocate 200 dogs to another place — a situation defined as uneasy by the founders. They are seeking public support and media solidarity for the shelters’ cause.
Sheltered dogs
MWN has contacted the Agadir Wilaya for comments but no response has been provided at the time of writing.
Committed to partnering with authorities
“Despite the uncertainty surrounding the eviction, we remain committed to our mission of providing essential care and support to animals in need, and to their communities,” the founders continued to MWN.
They also emphasized their commitment and keenness to collaborate with authorities, emphasizing the importance of such partnerships for constructive solutions for both the community and strays.
Speaking on the logistical challenges, the founders added that they have to start transferring their animals to other sites whenever possible—- stressing that such issues make it impossible for them to meet the deadline.
“We fear that the urgency of the situation will compromise the welfare of the animals we are trying to protect.”
Moroccan campaign against culling
The organization acknowledged Morocco’s efforts in addressing the situation of stray dogs, recalling a 2019 released document from the Ministry of Interior sent to all municipalities in Morocco to establish a regulatory framework for cooperation among stakeholders to address the situation of stray animals.
“At no point in this document is culling (mass killing of stray dogs) one of the solutions proposed to regulate the street population,” the founders told MWN, noting that the document promotes the vaccination, sterilization, and the adoption of animals instead.
Volunteer with puppy
The organization, however, regretted the persistent use of different heartbreaking methods of killing stray animals, including the use of poison and other methods that have long been debunked by scientific evidence as a solution to minimize street dog populations.
“Through comprehensive vaccination campaigns and disease surveillance, we have been mobilizing dogs as community health champions, particularly in combating the scourge of rabies,” the founders said.
Speaking of the shelter’s achievement, the founders stressed that more than 1500 dogs were sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to their territory through our “NoMad program.”
The organization also emphasized its willingness and commitment to helping stray animals enjoy more space and a better condition.
“For the past three years, we have been exploring all avenues to move our shelter to a location where our dogs would have more space, where we could continue to serve the community… and yet to be remote enough to avoid potential noise issues,” the founders continued.
The organization said that they were seeking to move to a privately owned plot of land, but the deal fell through as the owner changed his mind.
“Our current setup is not ideal,” they added. “We have over 600 animals spread over 4 locations, which makes our operations a logistical headache. We don’t have enough space or proper facilities. We want to move.”
MAA volunteer with a dog
The animal aid organization also emphasized that their mission is in line with the UN sustainability agenda concerning this issue.
It also contributes to the World Health Organization’s goal of a rabies-free world by 2030.
Many NGOs and activists have called for joint action and a shared responsibility to address the stray animal situation in Morocco –especially since the North African country is holding prestigious events like the World Cup 2030 and AFCON 2025.
Last May, a group of animal welfare organizations in Morocco issued a joint press release to condemn the poor treatment of stray animals across the country.
The associations decried the lack of action to humanely deal with the situation of stray animals despite King Mohammed VI’s instructions.
The collective argued that similar acts against stray animals give a “totally degraded and depreciated image of our country in the eyes of those who witness it.”
