Morocco outraged over new law punishing feeders of stray animals

Morocco's latest law to rein in its sprawling population of stray animals ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup has sparked outrage for criminalising feeding strays, a move animal welfare groups say will put more abandoned dogs and cats at risk.

Last week, the government presented Bill No. 19.25 to Parliament's Committee on Productive Sectors, calling it a long-overdue framework for managing and tracking stray animals.

The law introduces extensive changes, including the mandatory registration of all owned animals on a national platform, the assignment of unique identification numbers, compulsory reporting of any loss, transfer, or death of animals, and a ban on abandonment.

Municipalities and accredited associations would run purpose-built centres to capture, sterilise, vaccinate, treat and identify stray animals, feeding into a nationwide database to improve coordination.

The law introduces fines of up to 500,000 Moroccan dirhams (approximately $50,000), prison terms for repeat offenders, and the closure of non-compliant shelters.

In a health emergency, the state would have the authority to act quickly under special provisions.

However, it is one clause that has unleashed a wave of anger online and on the streets: banning the feeding or treatment of stray animals without official authorisation, punishable by fines of up to 3,000 dirham (about $300).

Animal rights advocates, while welcoming the law as a long-awaited step towards protecting animals, argue that in the absence of a robust public shelter system, acts of feeding or caring for stray animals are often the only lifeline for abandoned dogs and cats.

"Citizens are filling the gap left by the state. There aren't enough shelters for all animals in Morocco. Without citizens feeding them, they will die", explained Salman Rami, a Moroccan animal activist, in an interview with The New Arab.

Government officials counter that unregulated feeding can lead to large gatherings of animals and increase the spread of disease, a serious public health concern in a country that records about 100,000 dog bites and dozens of rabies deaths each year.

In 2024, the disease claimed 33 lives, according to the authorities.

The dispute unfolds against a backdrop of mounting controversy over Morocco's handling of stray dogs ahead of two major international sporting events: the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup.

Foreign activists have accused the country of increasing mass culls to create a "cleaner image" before the sports events. 

Officials insist the opposite is true, pointing to the expansion since 2019 of the TNVR method (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return) which involves sterilising dogs, marking them with ear tags, and releasing them back into their original territory.

Yet videos posted online by PETA have shown dogs being allegedly shot or poisoned by local authorities.

"It's shameful that we're killing dogs for a football competition. It's absurd," said the Association for the Defence of Animals and Nature (ADAN) in a video published in April, echoing concerns voiced by foreign activists.

In February this year, a coalition of 10 animal rights groups urged FIFA to address Morocco's "increased capture and culling" of stray dogs ahead of the 2030 World Cup.

In response, FIFA said it's working closely with Moroccan authorities on "the expansion of clinics and support programs for stray dogs."

Animal welfare groups say they fear the country's entire stray dog population—which they estimate at around three million—could be at risk.

It's a figure frequently cited in the press, though Moroccan authorities have no precise data on the number of stray dogs.

Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit has dismissed such claims as "media attacks" based on "erroneous and decontextualised data".

Laftit said his ministry has allocated over $22 million for new veterinary dispensaries that meet TNVR standards. 

Still, the new law's implementation faces practical hurdles.

Many current shelters rely on volunteers and donations, and they often lack the resources and trained staff needed to meet new standards. Without state funding, many could be forced to shut, leaving more animals without care.

For local activists, education is an equally urgent priority. They argue that public awareness could prevent the villainisation of strays, which are simply vulnerable animals in need of care.

"We want the authorities to prioritise vaccinating and sterilising animals and to take serious action against those who murder or harm them," added Salman in his interview with TNA.