As Morocco prepares to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, there have been reports of mass culling of
stray dogs in an effort to “clean the streets” before the tournament. A collective of ten animal rights
organizations, including Eurogroup For Animals and Four Paws, has written to FIFA, urging the
organization to take a stand against this horrific slaughter. Morocco had previously committed to a
humane dog population management strategy through a ‘Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release’ (TNVR)
program, yet reports suggest that authorities are instead resorting to killing stray dogs in violation of
their own policies and with wanton cruelty.

The Moroccan government has justified these actions under the pretext of controlling rabies, a fatal
disease transmitted through bites. This contradicts the scientific evidence and the government’s
prior commitment to sustainable measures such as TVNR, which are proven to be more effective as
well as being humane. The open letter from animal rights groups calls on FIFA to use its influence to
hold Morocco accountable for its commitments and ensure that dog population management is
ethical, upholds previous commitments and does not sacrifice animal lives.

The situation raises urgent ethical questions about humanity’s treatment of animals that do not
serve our self-interested purposes. Stray dogs, often dismissed as nuisances, are living beings
deserving of dignity and compassion. Their existence in our cities is not their fault but rather a
consequence of human neglect and mismanagement. To kill them for the sake of a sporting event
reflects a disturbing willingness to sacrifice lives for aesthetics and convenience. As a global
institution with immense influence, FIFA has a responsibility to take a stand against cruelty and
support humane solutions.

With five years to go before the tournament, Morocco has the opportunity to stick to ethical and
sustainable measures to care for their stray dog population rather than wantonly killing them. FIFA
must use its platform to pressure the government from preventing a catastrophic mass killing,
ensuring that the World Cup is not tainted by the horrific suffering of animals that are discarded as if
their lives had no meaning. The world is watching, and now is the time to demand a humane
approach that values animal lives as equally.

The Moroccan dog “genocide” must be stopped. Sign the petition to tell FIFA that they must us their
pressure to stop these catastrophic mass killings: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/the-
international-animal-coalition-is-calling-on-fifa-to-demand-morocco-stop-killing-dogs-for-the-world-
cup

For more on our educational and advocacy programs on behalf of animals, please visit our website:
https://www.freedom4animals.com/