FIFA urged to protect street dogs in Morocco

The animal welfare advocates are appealing to FIFA to take a stand against Morocco's planned killing of street dogs and to support a humane solution.

According to media reports, the African country is planning to kill up to three million street dogs before the 2030 World Cup, in order to ensure a comfortable experience for tournament visitors.

Castration instead of mass killing

“In the five years leading up to the World Cup, Morocco still has sufficient time to reduce the street dog population in a humane manner – using the ‘Catch, Neuter, Release’ approach. We call on FIFA to use its influence to put appropriate pressure on the local authorities,” says Luca Secker, specialist adviser for international animal welfare at the German Animal Welfare Federation. “Killing millions of animals would be cruel and pointless.” A clear animal welfare issue.

In their letter to FIFA, the Eurogroup for Animals, of which the German Animal Welfare Federation is also a member, points out that the killing of street dogs is not an appropriate means of reducing the population in the long term. “The effect would be, at most, short-lived,” explains Secker. “New dogs take the places of those killed, because dogs migrate in from neighbouring areas and more young animals survive, able to make use of the vacated habitat and resources such as food.” A culling approach would also contradict current law in Morocco, which actually provides for the animals to be caught, castrated and released again. As studies demonstrate, killing as a method of population control fails.

Castration also protects against rabies

The humane method is also the approach of choice with regard to disease prevention, emphasise the animal welfare advocates: «In a dog population reduced but stabilized through castration, the risk of rabies decreases, as resident animals, once vaccinated, contribute permanently to herd immunity», says Secker. This would also protect people from infection.

Dog killings, on the other hand, are inefficient with regard to the rabies occurring in Morocco: «If vaccinated animals are killed and unvaccinated animals move in to replace them, the disease will never be brought under control. Both from an animal welfare perspective and a disease prevention perspective, it is therefore essential to focus on reducing the birth rate and providing healthcare for stray dogs — just as Morocco had stated in its bid. We assume that this is also in the interest of many animal-loving people who wish to attend the World Cup in Morocco.»