Influencer eats dog to protest against meat prices during Eid
A social media influencer in Morocco has been arrested after posting a video in which he skinned, cooked and ate a dog.
Ayoub Ben Nesnes, known online as Ben Nesnes, said he made the video to protest against the high price of sheep during the Muslim religious holiday of Eid al-Adha last month.
The stunt provoked anger online and drew condemnation from animal rights organisations as well as Islamic clerics. Under Islamic law, eating dog meat is forbidden.
The 26-year-old YouTuber, who has more than two million followers, was arrested by Moroccan police on charges of animal cruelty.
Prosecutors charged him with offences including insulting Islam and animal mistreatment, according to Moroccan media.
Critics said the video was sickening and offensive. Three animal welfare groups filed official complaints.
Mohamed Amziane, the head of the Al Rahma Animal Welfare Association, said the video showed "a dangerous level of detachment from human values".
He said it was inappropriate to link the stunt to Eid al-Adha because the religious festival is meant to symbolise compassion and respect. The video presented a negative view of Moroccan society, he said.
Ben Nesnes insisted he had not killed the dog himself, saying in a statement: "The dog that appeared in the video – I didn't kill it. I found it dead on the side of the road after it was hit in a traffic accident.
"I didn't kill it, so stop saying that I did. Everything is documented, and there's proof."
He said he was taken aback by the reaction on social media, adding: "We all make mistakes, but I'm shocked by all this hatred and bitterness."
Moroccans have been angered by the rising price of sheep, which are killed in ritual sacrifices for Eid al-Adha.
Last year, King Mohammed VI of Morocco urged people to forgo the rite because prices had been driven up by drought and shrinking livestock numbers.
But the high prices continued this year, with many working-class families unable to afford a sheep for Eid al-Adha. Farmers have blamed the prices on the high cost of animal feed, veterinary care and fuel.
The Moroccan government has spent millions trying to rebuild the country's sheep and goat herds after years of drought, but meat prices have remained high.
Tens of thousands of stray dogs wander the streets of Moroccan towns, cities and villages.
Animal welfare groups say there has been a dramatic increase in the number of dogs that are being killed and poisoned as part of an effort to reduce the number of strays before the 2030 Fifa World Cup, which Morocco is hosting with Portugal and Spain.
"The Moroccan government is reportedly planning to exterminate 99 per cent of all homeless dogs (approximately three million of them) across the country," said People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
"Men with rifles gunned down dogs in full view of shocked witnesses, including children. Some dogs were poisoned, while others were burned alive."
