Host shocked with plans
Millions of dogs are to be killed for the World Cup
January 17, 2025 – 10:09 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
In five years, the World Cup will take place in Morocco, among other places. The government therefore wants to kill up to three million dogs – animal rights activists are outraged.
What happens in five years is not relevant now? Not in the case of the Football World Cup, which is to be held on three continents. The FIFA tournament is scheduled to take place in 2030 mainly in Morocco, Portugal and Spain. Games will also be played in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina.
The current topic is Morocco, because the environmentalist Dr. Jane Goodall drew attention to a controversial plan by the host country. In a letter to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, she pointed out that three million street dogs are apparently going to be killed in the North African country.
Goodall, who has joined the International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC) campaign, said in the letter: “I was absolutely horrified to see the Moroccan authorities killing street dogs on a large scale to protect foreign World Cup venues “To make visitors ‘more presentable’, football fans, many of whom are animal lovers, will undoubtedly respond with calls to boycott the country and put pressure on sponsors to pull out.”
The environmentalist also appealed to FIFA and recalled the world association’s call: “If you don’t act, FIFA will be known for its complicity in a horrific act of barbarism.” As a consequence of the current actions in Morocco, Goodall called for the World Cup to be temporarily withdrawn until the situation has improved and no more dogs are killed.
The International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC) has now come up with something special for the dogs in Morocco. On March 1st, donations will be collected during a five-kilometer run.
Why? “The IAWPC is receiving requests from concerned Moroccan citizens to help pay veterinary bills to provide the dogs with life-saving emergency treatment,” the organization said. Because “many dogs are poisoned” and are left in a critical condition that makes survival difficult.
Debbie Wilson, campaigns director for the IAWPC, said: “What is happening in Morocco is appalling. Dogs are being killed every day in the most brutal way in front of the public, including children.”