World Cup host accused of culling millions of stray dogs before football tournament begins

Stray animals are killed by shooting and poisoning and are ‘often left to rot where they fall’ - the government denies mass culls are being carried out NewsWorldAfricaWorld Cup host accused of culling millions of stray dogs before football tournament beginsStray animals are killed by shooting and poisoning and are ‘often left to rot where they fall’ - the government denies mass culls are being carried out Maira Butt Wednesday 18 February 2026 15:42 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverSpain insist they will host 2030 World Cup final despite 115,000-seater Morocco stadiumYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. 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We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreMorocco is facing backlash after being accused of preparing to kill millions of dogs in an effort to “clean” its streets in preparation for the 2030 World Cup.Over three million stray dogs in the country are at risk of being killed, according to animal rights groups that have compiled photos and documents claiming some executions have already taken place. The reports have drawn concern from Oscar-nominated actor and campaigner Mark Ruffalo who called the allegations a “moral failure”. “Killing millions of dogs to prepare for a global sporting event is not progress, it’s a moral failure,” Ruffalo wrote in a post on X. “Humane solutions exist, and choosing compassion over violence is a responsibility we all share.”open image in galleryHundreds of thousands of dogs are killed every year, campaign groups say (German Animal Welfare Federation)The Moroccan embassy in London has denied the claims, insisting there is no culling of stray dogs and reiterating the country’s commitment to humane and sustainable animal management.But the International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition claims that 300,000 animals were being killed every year through methods including shooting, poisoning and other violent means before the announcement Morocco will be co-hosting with Spain and Portugal in four years time. “After the [World Cup confirmation], the extermination of the dogs has increased dramatically,” the IAWPC said in a report. “As a result, the fear is that Morocco will now go ahead with their plan for the mass slaughter of three million dogs.”In August, the country proposed a bill that would lead to prison sentences of between two and six months for anyone who “intentionally kills, tortures or injures a stray animal in any manner” but anyone caught “sheltering, feeding or treating” animals also risks a fine or prison time for repeat offenders. open image in galleryDogs are rounded up and taken to ‘kill centres’ (IAWPC)“It is entirely untrue that Morocco is planning to cull stray dogs ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup,” a spokesperson said of the reports last year. FIFA said it is working with the IAWPC to submit recommendations on animal welfare to Moroccan authorities. “With the bidding process now completed, FIFA is following up with its local counterparts with the aim of ensuring commitments are upheld,” a FIFA spokesperson told the publication. The IAWPC claim methods include “poisoning with strychnine either through directly injecting into the dog or through placing it in food”. Rifles and pistols are used to shoot dogs by gunmen patrolling the streets looking for the animals, the campaign group also alleges. “The dogs are left to bleed out, often thrashing around and screaming in agony,” it said in a petition. “Their bodies are often left to rot where they fall. Dogs are also hunted down and trapped with medieval clamping devices and thrown into the back of trucks with other terrified dogs. “These dogs are taken to be killed in ‘fake dispensaries’. They are either burned in incinerators or taken and dumped in mass graves. Not all dogs are dead when dumped.”An investigation by The Athletic last month reported on a “kill centre” - an abattoir where animals were killed on the edge of popular tourist hotspot Marrakech. More aboutMoroccoDogsexecutionsMark RuffaloWorld Cup 2030Join our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next