Morocco stray animal law sparks backlash over feeding fines

New measures restricting the feeding of stray animals in public spaces have ignited a heated debate on social media, particularly among advocates and volunteers dedicated to the care of street animals. Many fear facing fines for actions they consider humane and voluntary.

This controversy revolves around Law No. 19.25 concerning the protection and care of stray animals and mitigating potential risks. The legislation was published in Official Gazette No. 7533 on August 10, 2026, following its enactment by Royal Decree No. 1.26.55 on July 28 of the same year.

Article 5 dictates that “no person may care for a stray animal by sheltering, feeding, or treating it, unless in compliance with this law and its implementing texts.” Article 44 stipulates fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 dirhams for those who defy these provisions by feeding, sheltering, or treating stray animals in public areas.

Support for protection, reservations over feeding restrictions

Commenting on the matter, Ahmed Tazi of the Moroccan Network of Animal Welfare and Sustainable Development Associations, «RAPAD Morocco», noted that while the law includes positive elements for animal protection and penalizes mistreatment, specific articles need revision, especially those about feeding street animals.

In a discussion with Yabiladi, Tazi emphasized the need for laws protecting street animals from abuse, acknowledging the benefits of penalizing mistreatment. However, he called for either removing penalties for feeding or defining their application more clearly.

“Forbidding the feeding of animals and penalizing those who do so contradicts our culture, traditions, and religion. Witnessing an animal in need imposes a moral and humanitarian obligation to provide food.”

Tazi warned that fear of penalties might deter volunteers from aiding animals. It could also lead some pet owners to abandon their animals, exacerbating the number of strays and worsening rather than improving the situation.

As an alternative, Tazi proposed establishing designated feeding points in each neighborhood, where citizens and volunteers could provide food while maintaining public cleanliness.

He also urged the involvement of associations and volunteers through agreements and partnerships, as many are familiar with individual animals in their communities, regularly monitoring, feeding, and treating them.

The law itself permits municipalities, through Article 16, to engage civil society associations to assist in tasks performed by stray animal care centers, provided these associations are legally compliant, share the animal care objective, and possess the necessary resources and expertise.

Tazi revealed that the network had previously suggested amendments before the law’s adoption, advocating for the removal of penalties for feeding animals while retaining sanctions against killing, torturing, or mistreating them.

Concerns over cost of vaccination and health records

Additionally, the law punishes those who deliberately harm stray animals with imprisonment of two to six months and fines between 5,000 and 20,000 dirhams, except for legally authorized euthanasia supervised by a veterinarian.

Tazi highlighted the financial burden on pet owners to declare animals via an electronic platform, secure health records, and assign identification numbers. While seeing these measures as positive, he noted the potential strain on those with limited incomes.

“Our society includes people facing poverty who still care for numerous animals, lacking the means for vaccinations or health records. Authorities should support and assist them rather than penalize them for their care.”

The law mandates fines of 1,000 to 5,000 dirhams for unregistered animals or absent health records and 10,000 to 20,000 dirhams for anyone who lets an animal stray or abandons it unsupervised in public spaces.

Tazi stressed the need for upcoming regulations to “clearly define registration conditions and how volunteers and associations should interact with animals in public spaces,” simplifying procedures to prevent misinterpretation or misuse of authority.

He advocated for a “catch, sterilize, vaccinate, and return” strategy to ethically manage animal populations and tackle rabies and zoonotic diseases.

Emphasizing cooperation, Tazi affirmed that associations do not oppose authorities but seek to collaborate with them and volunteers to ethically manage animal populations and eradicate rabies and diseases shared between humans and animals.