A collective of 10 animal rights groups have written to FIFA to protest against the “increased capture and culling” of stray dogs in Morocco ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
Morocco is a rabies-endemic country, with efforts taking place over the previous decade to reduce the population of infected dogs. Rabies is a viral disease, transmitted through bite, which is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
The country passed laws in 2019 to manage animals through a ‘Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release’ scheme (TNVR), but the animal rights groups claim authorities have been culling stray dogs instead, with a mandate of cleaning the streets before the tournament.
“The current and any future culling of stray dogs not only contradicts the national law but also violates the principles of the allocation of national funds to TNVR-projects, with the latter being used as an argument for Morocco to receive the bid for hosting the World Cup in the first place,” the open letter states.
A spokesperson from the Embassy of Morocco told the BBC this week that the nation had an “unwavering commitment to humane and sustainable solutions for managing stray dog populations while prioritising public health and animal welfare”.
The animal rights groups, who include Eurogroup For Animals and Four Paws, say FIFA should play a role in preventing the practice.
“With five years to go, Morocco still has sufficient time to implement humane dog population management practices,” the letter adds. “Hence we are calling for FIFA to use its authority to hold the competent authorities accountable for implementation of the existing Moroccan laws on dog population management, while strictly prohibiting culling. That is because culling has been shown to have no permanent effect on population size, and can even risk an increase in rabies.”
Alongside Morocco, the 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain and Portugal, with three matches also taking place in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina to mark the competition’s centenary.
FIFA have been contacted for comment.
(Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
