Morocco ‘Poisoning, Shooting, Burning’ Stray Dogs Ahead Of 2030 World Cup, Activists Allege

Last Updated:February 19, 2026, 08:13 IST

The allegations have drawn global attention, including from Oscar-nominated actor and activist Mark Ruffalo, who condemned the reported actions.

Morocco is facing mounting international backlash over allegations that more than three million stray dogs could be killed as part of efforts to “clean" its streets ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with animal welfare groups claiming brutal methods including poisoning with strychnine, shootings and mass burnings are being used.

Animal rights organisations, including the International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition (IAWPC), said stray dogs across Morocco are being rounded up and exterminated as the country prepares to co-host the global tournament alongside Spain and Portugal.

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According to the coalition, the killings involve extreme and graphic methods. In a report and petition, the group alleged dogs were being “poisoned with strychnine either through directly injecting into the dog or through placing it in food." Gunmen using rifles and pistols are also accused of patrolling streets and shooting stray animals.

“The dogs are left to bleed out, often thrashing around and screaming in agony," the group said, adding, “Their bodies are often left to rot where they fall."

It further alleged that dogs are trapped using clamping devices, crammed into trucks and transported to so-called “kill centres", where they are burned in incinerators or dumped into mass graves. Some animals, the coalition claimed, may still be alive when disposed of.

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The allegations have drawn global attention, including from Oscar-nominated actor and activist Mark Ruffalo, who condemned the reported actions.

“Killing millions of dogs to prepare for a global sporting event is not progress, it’s a moral failure. Humane solutions exist, and choosing compassion over violence is a responsibility we all share," Ruffalo wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Moroccan authorities, however, have strongly denied the claims. The Moroccan embassy in London said it was “entirely untrue" that the country was planning a mass cull and insisted Morocco remained committed to humane and sustainable animal population control.

World football governing body FIFA said it was in contact with animal welfare groups and Moroccan officials to ensure animal welfare commitments are respected.

“With the bidding process now completed, FIFA is following up with its local counterparts with the aim of ensuring commitments are upheld," a spokesperson said.

News world Morocco ‘Poisoning, Shooting, Burning’ Stray Dogs Ahead Of 2030 World Cup, Activists Allege

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