Influences
Stray Dogs: A Bill Adopted to Reconcile Public Safety and Animal Health
This bill comes in a context marked by the resurgence of the stray animal phenomenon, which has become a major challenge requiring an urgent response from the State due to its direct repercussions on health security and public tranquility.
The Government Council, meeting Thursday in Rabat, adopted bill no. 19.25 relating to the protection of stray animals and the prevention of the dangers they may cause, presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Ahmed El Bouari.
The said bill comes in a context marked by the resurgence of the stray animal phenomenon, which has become a major challenge requiring an urgent response from the State due to its direct repercussions on health security and public tranquility, emphasized the Minister Delegate in charge of Relations with Parliament, Government Spokesperson, Mustapha Baitas, during a press briefing following the Council meeting.
Given their anarchic proliferation in public places, these animals represent a concerning source of transmission of certain infectious and serious diseases, as well as a direct cause of traffic accidents and many assaults against people, Mr. Baitas stated.
At the same time, the text aims to protect these animals against diseases and the risks to which they are exposed by ensuring their care under appropriate conditions.
He specified that this law will establish a legal framework reconciling the preservation of citizens’ safety with the care and protection of stray animals, notably dogs, relying on several comparative experiences as well as on the relevant recommendations of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
