Morocco’s World Cup bid has led to thousands of stray dogs being killed in a brutal clean-up of the streets

Nada exclusively reveals how as many as three million animals are at risk of being killed ahead of the 2030 tournament

Dogs are thrown into trucks to be disposed of

Thousands of stray dogs are being massacred in World Cup venues across Morocco, warn animal welfare groups.

The North African country is part of the only bid to host the 2030 tournament alongside Spain and Portugal.

But campaigners say three million dogs are under threat of being slaughtered before it kicks off in a brutal clean-up of the streets.

The International Animal Coalition, who has launched a campaign to highlight what it called “Morocco’s ugly secret” said dogs are being poisoned with strychnine which is injected directly into their bodies or fed to them by hand through poisoned bait.

They also said gunmen cruise around the clock armed with rifles and pistols. The animals are often badly wounded and left to bleed out while thrashing about and screaming in pain.

Dogs are also hunted down and trapped with medieval clamping devices and thrown into the backs of trucks to join other terrified animals, before being taken to facilities to be inhumanely killed.