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Mule Retirement Homes and Adoptions for Street Dogs: Caring for the Working and Companion Animals of Morocco
Abstract
As Morocco makes headlines for tourist destinations, working towards sustainable renewable energy, and international environment policy, there are grassroots organizations working toward the care and health of the working equines and homeless companion or “street” animals. Typically, when the animals become too old to work or are injured beyond recovery, they are slaughtered for their meat, to feed dogs or zoo animals, or are abandoned. With the help of various non-profits and care facilities around Morocco, owners of donkeys and mules have an option for free veterinary care or retirement options for the animals after a life of hard labor. There is currently one study on the working animals focusing on the American equine charity hospital of the Fes medina (Davis & Frappier 2000), but there has been little research on the impact of these charities and associations within Morocco. Many grassroots associations Moroccan-led are typically foreign-funded through donations and foreign-charity status. These facilities not only provide free care for the animals and adoption services, but work to shape mentality and spread knowledge about animals in Morocco. Through media narratives via Facebook and Instagram, and TV interviews posted to YouTube, these groups gain recognition and donations from all over the world. By using travel narratives, participant-observation in Morocco at the American Fondouk in Fes, Jarjeer Mules in Marrakesh, and the ADAN Association for dogs and cats in Rabat, as well as interviews, this paper compares and contrasts the animal charities in Morocco and seeks to understand the how the hybridity of using Islam and Western techniques to create empathy and garner support and donations.
Discipline
Anthropology
Geographic Area
Morocco
Sub Area
Maghreb Studies