Animal groups urge Morocco to revise draft law on stray dogs

By AI, Created 6:01 PM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – The Center for a Humane Economy and SPCA International are pressing Morocco to amend Draft Law 19-25 before passage, arguing it conflicts with the country’s 2019 commitment to humane Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release rabies control. The groups say the bill could criminalize people who feed or care for stray animals and open the door to dog culls.

Why it matters: - Draft Law 19-25 could upend Morocco’s stated strategy for controlling rabies and managing stray dogs. - Animal welfare groups say the bill would punish everyday care for street animals and weaken public-health gains from vaccination. - The dispute matters beyond animal welfare because rabies control depends on maintaining vaccinated dog populations.

What happened: - The Center for a Humane Economy and SPCA International sent a letter to Moroccan officials urging amendments to Draft Law 19-25 before it becomes law. - The organizations say the draft conflicts with Morocco’s 2019 national agreement that made Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release, or TNVR, the official stray-dog and rabies-control strategy. - The groups said the legislation would criminalize people who provide food, shelter, or healthcare to stray animals. - The organizations also warned the draft leaves room for mass killings of dogs.

The details: - Morocco signed the Convention on the Protection of Street Dogs and Cats in 2019. - The agreement was signed by the Ministry of the Interior, the National Office of Sanitary Safety of Food Products, the Ministry of Health, and the National Order of Veterinarians. - The convention made TNVR the cornerstone of national rabies-control policy. - The 2019 framework required sterilized and vaccinated animals to be returned to the neighborhoods where they were captured. - TNVR programs rely on community members who provide food and basic care after release. - The draft law includes criminal penalties for animal cruelty. - The organizations say the bill also includes broad authority for the government to act in undefined “exceptional circumstances.” - They argue that language could enable mass culling. - Animal welfare groups in Morocco say mass killings of dogs have happened over several years. - The groups say some of the animals killed were healthy dogs with ear tags showing they had been vaccinated and sterilized. - The World Health Organization has consistently said mass dog vaccination, not culling, is the most effective way to control rabies. - Removing vaccinated dogs can reduce herd immunity and allow unvaccinated animals to repopulate an area.

Between the lines: - The fight is not only about animal protection. It is also about whether Morocco keeps a community-based rabies plan or shifts toward centralized control. - The groups argue the draft law could raise long-term costs by undermining TNVR volunteers and reducing vaccine coverage. - The controversy suggests tension between the appearance of stricter enforcement and the practical needs of rabies elimination. - Jennifer Skiff of the Center for a Humane Economy said Morocco promised to eradicate rabies humanely through TNVR, and the current direction is “the antithesis of humane.” - Dr. Thomas Pool of Animal Wellness Action said criminalizing TNVR volunteers would undermine Morocco’s own strategy and slow progress toward zero dog-mediated rabies deaths. - Lori Kalef of SPCA International said the proposed law looks less like animal protection and more like population control authority.

What’s next: - Moroccan officials can still amend Draft Law 19-25 before passage. - Animal welfare groups want the government to preserve TNVR, protect community caretakers, and close any path to culling. - The groups say Morocco has veterinarians, advocates, and citizens ready to support humane programs if the law changes.

The bottom line: - Morocco’s draft animal law has become a test of whether the country will follow its own humane rabies-control agreement or allow policies that could criminalize compassion and revive dog culls. - The Center for a Humane Economy and SPCA International provided more information at the Center for a Humane Economy and SPCA International.