Agadir Hosts Morocco’s First Urban Shelter for Stray Dogs and Cats: A Tangible Commitment to Animal Welfare
ALDAR / Ghita Hafiani
The city of Agadir has begun construction on a model project to shelter stray dogs and cats. Spanning an area of 4.5 hectares, the facility will have a capacity to accommodate up to 1,000 dogs and 200 cats. It will be equipped with comprehensive facilities for medical care, vaccination, and sterilization.
This new center, being built according to advanced health and environmental standards, is not just a traditional shelter — it is a fully integrated space for treatment and rehabilitation. It aligns with national directives regarding animal welfare and reflects Morocco’s growing commitment to finding sustainable and organized solutions to the issue of stray animals, which has long posed social and health challenges in many cities.
The project aims to put an end to the random and sometimes harmful practices previously used to manage this issue. Instead, it adopts a humane approach that balances public health protection with environmental sustainability, while promoting the values of compassion and mercy deeply rooted in Moroccan culture and the teachings of Islam.
Moreover, the center embodies official policies advocating for a comprehensive and sustainable approach to dealing with stray animals — primarily through vaccination and sterilization to control reproduction — rather than resorting to painful methods long criticized by human rights and environmental organizations.
The project’s supervisors, a partnership between local authorities and civil society actors, emphasize that the center will also be open to volunteers and associations. Part of its services will focus on awareness and education about the importance of respecting living creatures, in full alignment with Morocco’s environmental and humanitarian agenda and the goals of sustainable development.
This project stands as a concrete response to certain unfounded criticisms occasionally directed at Morocco by parties that overlook the scale of the reforms and efforts the Kingdom is undertaking in this domain. Rather than relying on rhetoric, Morocco prefers to implement practical, on-the-ground models that reflect its values of compassion, development, and modern governance of social issues — including the challenge of stray animals.
The Agadir shelter marks a turning point toward a more humane and civil approach to stray animal management and could become a model for other regions in Morocco and across the continent.
