New Regulations Spark Debate Among Citizens and Animal Welfare Groups
The implementation of the law aimed at protecting stray animals and mitigating the risks they pose has ignited considerable debate in Morocco. This law has stirred controversy among citizens and animal welfare organizations that have traditionally offered assistance to stray animals in public spaces by feeding, treating, rescuing, and sheltering them. In several Moroccan cities, it has become a common sight for compassionate individuals to feed hungry animals, driven by a sense of empathy and a commitment to animal welfare.
However, this humane impulse is now potentially at odds with a legal framework that imposes fines of up to 2000 dirhams (approximately $215), leading to a significant question: does feeding a hungry animal in the street in Morocco now constitute an offense warranting punishment?
Unreasonable Penalties and Public Reaction
The core of this debate revolves around Articles 5 and 44 of the law, which have sparked extensive discussions on social media platforms. Many users have expressed strong objections to these articles, arguing that they impose restrictions on humane practices that citizens have long engaged in to help stray animals. Article 5 of Law No. 19.25 states, "No stray animal may be housed, fed, or treated in public spaces except in accordance with the provisions of the law and its implementing regulations." In contrast, Article 44 stipulates penalties for those who violate the provisions of Article 5 by housing, feeding, or treating a stray animal in public spaces, such as streets or shared residential buildings, with fines ranging from 500 to 2000 dirhams (between $50 and $215).
In response to these penalties, Moroccan citizen Kawther Lachkar from Fez, who has consistently fed stray dogs in public areas, argues that the fines outlined in the law are excessive and illogical. She questions the rationale behind punishing individuals who provide food or assistance to these animals, emphasizing the human compassion that motivates such acts. Kawther states, "The fines stipulated by the law for merely feeding or sheltering stray animals are utterly unreasonable. How can I buy a tin of food for five dirhams to feed a dog and then find myself liable to pay a fine of 500 dirhams or even 2000 dirhams? This is nonsensical and raises questions about the true purpose of this law: is it to protect animals and regulate our interactions with them, or is it merely a means of collecting fines and filling government coffers?" She further asserts that as a Muslim country, Morocco should uphold the principles of kindness and compassion towards animals, reflecting the teachings of Islam, which emphasizes the importance of treating all living beings with respect.
On the other hand, Khadija Bourqadi, president of the "I Need You Shelter" association, acknowledges the necessity of having a legal framework for regulating interactions with stray animals. However, she believes that Articles 5 and 44 impose constraints on citizens and organizations that intervene to assist stray animals. Khadija emphasizes, "We are not against the law; rather, as associations, we welcomed it because we need a clear legal framework to regulate our dealings with stray animals and protect them. However, we believe that Articles 5 and 44, especially concerning fines, impose restrictions on the humane practices we engage in daily. We support organized processes for feeding, sheltering, and treating animals while respecting public cleanliness, but such regulations should be clear and fair." She adds that those who feed animals out of compassion should not be immediately categorized as lawbreakers, therefore, there needs to be clarification on the specific circumstances that would constitute a violation versus scenarios where citizens or organizations can intervene to care for or rescue animals.
In this context, the "Erham" association for animal welfare and environmental protection, represented by its president Zainab Takan, supports the enactment of Law No. 19.25, viewing it as a significant step that has been long awaited by animal welfare organizations. Zainab states, "We consider this law, despite some observations and reservations regarding several of its provisions, as an initial and important step towards enhancing animal welfare and environmental protection in Morocco. It establishes a legal framework for regulating interactions with animals, and it is no longer acceptable for the situation to continue without clear legislation guiding our relationship with animals, particularly those on the streets."
Addressing the public outcry surrounding Articles 5 and 44, Zainab clarifies that a portion of this backlash relates to the necessity of providing a precise and balanced legal interpretation of these provisions, rather than reducing their implications to the notion that anyone who feeds an animal in the street will be punished, as some media outlets have sensationalized. She argues, "Article 44 ties penalties to violations of Article 5, and thus the understanding of these articles must occur within the broader context of the law as a whole, and not in isolation from its other provisions." She emphasizes the importance of addressing how to organize interactions with stray animals in public spaces without instilling fear in citizens who, out of compassion, wish to assist these animals. The presence of stray cats and dogs in public areas has become a part of everyday reality in many Moroccan cities, and any successful public policy must take this reality into account and work towards managing it in a scientific, humane, and sustainable manner, rather than merely seeking to minimize certain visible aspects of it.
Zainab also points out a significant issue within this law: the considerable gap between its provisions and the practical reality on the ground. There remain numerous questions regarding how to implement these provisions effectively, especially given the complete absence of necessary infrastructure and human resources. She states, "How can we discuss prohibiting citizens from intervening to rescue or feed animals when, in reality, there are not enough equipped centers available to care for these animals?" Zainab further elaborates that the historical mistreatment of animals, ranging from culling to poisoning and keeping them in unsuitable conditions, has led to a loss of trust among citizens regarding how some municipalities manage animal welfare, with many areas having facilities that are more akin to holding pens than genuine shelters for care.
She insists that restricting citizen and organizational intervention must be preceded by providing real alternatives, stating, "Before we prevent citizens or organizations from intervening to save an animal, we must first provide proper and equipped centers staffed with veterinarians and sufficient human and financial resources, subject to oversight and transparency." Finally, Zainab stresses that addressing the issue of stray animals cannot solely rely on collecting and depositing them into shelters, but requires a clear and sustainable strategy that includes capturing, sterilizing, and vaccinating them, then returning them to their environments. In conclusion, she states, "We do not want a law that punishes citizens for extending a helping hand to animals, nor do we want legislation that leaves animals on the streets without solutions. We seek a law that organizes and protects, establishing a humane, scientific, and sustainable management approach to the issue of street animals in Morocco. The civilization of a society is not only measured by what it builds for humans but also by how it respects and protects animals from cruelty and suffering."
As reported by raseef22.net.
