Peter Egan pens hard-hitting article on Morocco dog slaughter ahead of World Cup 2030

The International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition has welcomed a major show of support from actor and campaigner Peter Egan, who has used his national platform to speak out against the mass killing of stray dogs in Morocco.

Aligning with the coalition’s ongoing global campaign to end the killings ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, Egan penned a hard-hitting article for the Daily Mail’s Saturday travel section titled Why I Would Never Go To Morocco, urging tourists to reconsider visiting the country while the slaughter continues.

The IAWPC, which represents more than 80 animal welfare organisations worldwide, has been leading calls for humane, evidence-based solutions such as catch-neuter-vaccinate-return (CNVR) programmes, warning that mass slaughter is both ineffective and inhumane.

Egan’s article echoes those concerns in stark terms. He wrote: “Thousands of strays a week are being snatched from the country’s streets by canine hit squads and ‘destroyed’ in the most barbaric manner imaginable.”

Highlighting the potential scale of the crisis, he added: “It is estimated that up to three million dogs could be put down over the next four years.”

The actor, a long-time animal advocate who has supported numerous welfare campaigns, also spoke candidly about the ethical dilemma facing travellers. “If I went to Morocco now, I would feel guilty about lying in the sun while knowing dogs were being brutally slaughtered all around me,” he said.

Les Ward MBE, chairman of the Coalition, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Peter Egan for his ongoing and fervent support of this campaign. His voice carries real weight with the public and his willingness to speak out so powerfully helps shine a spotlight on the suffering of these animals. We hope his words will encourage both policymakers and tourists to think carefully and demand change.”

The Coalition continues to call on international bodies, governments and the travel industry to take urgent action, stressing that humane dog population management is not only possible, but essential if Morocco is to meet global expectations on animal welfare ahead of hosting one of the world’s biggest sporting events.