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A video showing a Frenchman crashing into a flock of sheep with his car at Plage David, near El Mansouria, has stirred anger among animal welfare NGOs in Morocco. Several associations regretted the heinous acts and called for mobilization so that the man behind it does not remain unpunished.
«This man has a Pizza joint, near the Essanaoubar club. The two are currently closed due to the health crisis. We do not understand why this man wanted to hunt this herd in the first place», Hind Moustaghfir, head of the Comme Chiens et Chats association, told Yabiladi.
«He believes himself to be above the law by killing animals in cold blood, and by uttering death threats against a child in shock», she argued.
«I am in front of the gendarmerie of El Mansouria and the association will be part of the plaintiffs as an NGO defending animals», Moustaghfir said on Sunday, one day after the attack.
Animal advocates stand up
For his part, Ahmed Tazi, president of the association for the defense of animals and nature and member of the associative network for animal protection and sustainable development in Morocco (RAPAD), said he was «traumatized» by the act. «We are in favor of animal and human well-being. What we saw in this video is scandalous and if there is a trial, we want to be part of it», he added.
Julia Nastase from «La Tribu des Quat'pattes» association also announced that her NGO is ready to file a complaint. «I contacted a friend there who told me that this guy did the same thing with puppies a year or two ago. Unfortunately, the law only applies to farm animals», she regretted.
«These kinds of acts should not go unpunished. What we have noticed about animal abuse is that only social media is able to make the authorities react», she added.
A «real law protecting animals» in Morocco
The three associations denounced animal protection laws that are deemed outdated. «They can be applied but the sanctions do not stick. Once we won a lawsuit against someone who mistreated animals. He was ordered to pay 150 dirhams. It's ridiculous», Ahmed Tazi said.
For the association, «Morocco needs other laws that protect people and animals». «At the moment, the laws are timid and only dare to protect animals that have an owner. This must change because all animals are living beings and must be protected», he said.
By the same token, Hind Moustaghfir believes that «these laws are obsolete and do not apply» all the time. «Hopefully, this time these are animals with an owner and not stray dogs», she argued.
«This will help have the suspect fined, or sentenced and judges can even use the Universal Charter on Animal Rights which Morocco has ratified», she explained.
But for Julia Nastase, this Frenchman who mistreats animals «is not the only one out there». «There are individuals who mistreat animals with impunity because no one wants to do anything. Even when they are arrested, they will be released sooner or later», she regretted.
Calling for a «real animal protection law», the member of «La Tribu des Quat'pattes» considers that «while this man ran into sheep and then threatened a kid to do the same to him, maybe he will soon move to action». «For us, people who allow themselves and have the guts to harm an animal can at any time harm humans too», she concluded.
