Despite numerouspetitions being launched as well asthe#JesuisBobycampaign acrosssocial media, the ruthless massacre of stray dogs in the town ofKsar El Kbir, Morocco, still went ahead last week.
Source : @Facebook
From 22nd to 25th March, local authorities organised "nighttime sprees"where several"shooters" were authorised to scour the town and shoot at any stray dogs they came across.
Source : @Facebook
Several videos of the revolting mass shootings (like this one- warning, this content may be extremely disturbing for some people), have emerged since the mass killings happened last week.In the videos, you can see the municipal staffshooting hundreds of these vulnerable dogs.What's worse, the inexperienced shooters did not aimatthe animals' heads, and so many of them were left seriously injured, suffering for minutes before dying. Most of them were still alive as they were throwninto dumpsters full of corpses.
Source : @Facebook
It's impossible to know exactly how many dogs have lost their lives following these four murderous nights. But it seems that hundreds have fallen victim to this horrific act of animal cruelty.
Like most Moroccan towns, Ksar El Kbir, which is home to 126,000 residents, has declared war on stray dogs in order to combat rabies.The disease still kills about twenty people a year in Morocco.
Source : @Elke Vogelaang
InCasablanca, the economic capital of Morocco, over15,000 dogs are slaughtered each year to fight the spread of the disease. Most of them are given a lethal dose of poison.
According to Moroccan animal protection charities, these annual massacresare not only completely inhumane, but they are also an ineffective method.Because each year, the dogs reproduce and the number of strays continues to grow.
Source : @Paris Match
Rather than causing such terrible suffering, animal rights activists are calling for widespreadneuteringcampaigns, which would be farmore effectivein the long run.Infinitely less cruel than mass shootings, this method has already proved to be a success in other Moroccan municipalities, such asTaghazout, in the west of the country.
Source : @Elke Vogelaang
Aziza Nait Sibaha, president ofComme Chiens et Chats, a French animal protection charity working in Morocco, has published an article intheHuffington Postcalling for change.She explained (translated from the French):
We reach out to you in order to set up an efficient, humane and less expensive action plan: a widespread campaign to neuter dogs while at the same time vaccinating against rabies. Through an approach that is worthy of a town like Ksar El Kebir, this would protect the human population while reducing the canine population.
Source : @Elke Vogelaang
The charity Comme Chiens et Chats have launched a petition, "For a responsible management of the problem of stray dogs in Ksar el Kébir." Whilst we were unable to stop this year's massacre, sign here to make sure that it was the last.Please share this so that we can raise awareness and put an end to these atrocities.
.png)
