فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Fez – November 13, 2025
“Fes News” newspaper received increasing complaints from residents of the Atlas neighborhood in Fez, accompanied by photographs documenting the spread of stray dogs in the streets during various times of the day, especially at night. Residents express their grave concern about the health and security risks resulting from this phenomenon, demanding local authorities take immediate action to ensure citizens’ safety.
Images from Reality: Stray Dogs in the Heart of a Residential Neighborhood
Photos attached from reader correspondence show groups of stray dogs roaming the streets, whether under the lights of shops at night or in broad daylight. In one nighttime photo, dogs appear near traditional transport carts and open shops, exposing passersby to direct risks. Daytime photos document multiple dogs walking freely on residential streets, amid normal traffic.
One resident confirmed in his correspondence: “The Atlas neighborhood has become, during various periods of the day, especially at night, a haven for stray dogs, threatening the safety of children and families.”
National Strategy with 117 Million Dirhams to Combat Stray Animals
The Ministry of Interior revealed the allocation of 117 million dirhams for the year 2025 to implement a comprehensive national strategy aimed at strengthening health and humanitarian security, and combating disease vectors, stray animals, and rabies. According to the 2025 achievements report:
- 38 million dirhams to support territorial communities in building and equipping shelters, acquiring dog collection mechanisms, with a focus on sterilization, vaccination, and tagging, in partnership with the Ministries of Agriculture and Health and the National Order of Veterinarians.
- Programming of more than 20 shelters by the end of August 2025, with 95% progress rate in major cities such as Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, Agadir, and Oujda.
- Launch of a mobile veterinary complex in Kenitra as a pioneering model, with plans for generalization.
Additionally, 39 million dirhams were allocated to combat disease vectors (insects and rodents), 10 million dirhams annually for the Royal Gendarmerie for aerial treatment, and 40 million dirhams for acquiring rabies vaccines, with additional support from communities of 40 million dirhams.
New Law to Protect Stray Animals and Safeguard Citizens
The Government Council approved on July 10, 2025, draft law No. 19.25 related to protecting stray animals and preventing their risks. The law aims to:
- Achieve balance between animals’ rights to life and citizen protection.
- Establish rules for declaring animals and owners’ responsibilities.
- Create specialized care centers and a national database to track spread.
Despite these measures, residents of the Atlas neighborhood continue to await effective field implementation in Fez, where complaints continue to escalate, raising questions about the efficiency of budget distribution and strategy implementation at the local level.
This phenomenon highlights the need to strengthen coordination between central and local authorities to combat stray dog risks and ensure sustainable health security for residents.
