Comme Chiens et Chats is an animal rescue association established to help stray dogs and kittens and find them a new home. Their objective is to build a refuge for all the pets they rescue, and raise awareness among Moroccans. Rescuing dogs and cats is a mission that «Comme Chiens et Chats» has been committed to. The association founded three years ago in France to protect Moroccan stray dogs and cats is now taking its baby steps in the Kingdom with the objective of building a shelter in Sidi Rahal commune near Casablanca. Moved by the way animals are treated in Morocco, members of the association that was founded by Aziza Nait Sibaha, a journalist for France24, are working hard to provide shelters for animals, find them adopters and medical assistance. Speaking to Hind Moustaghfir, the current president of the association headquartered in Casablanca, she told Yabiladi that they have been around since 2014 and managed to help several animals but it is with «rescuing a dog called Ray that the association got famous», the dog was found on the 30th of May 2015 tortured and wounded and a socialmedia campaign was initiated after its case. Since then, «Comme Chiens et Chats» has been mobilized to find a way of protecting these poor creatures. Starting with voluntary contributions and works, activists and Internet users have been dedicated to send photos of rescued animals host them in their homes and treat the injured ones. «We are very active on Facebook, we constantly post photos of rescued cats and dogs with the hope of finding an adopter», states Hind Moustaghfir. Relying on donations, the association is catering for the health of the stray pets, «our main mission is to secure medical assistance for the dogs and cats, we bring them to vets», the association's president told Yabiladi. For now, «Comme Chiens et Chats» has 40 volunteers in Rabat, Casablanca and Essaouira who use their own homes to shelter the pets waiting for a new adopter. Once the latter is ready to take a kitty or a puppy they are asked to fill a proper application. «Some of the adopters send photos and videos of their new pets which is reassuring», Hind indicated, «we care a lot for these animals and we want them to be treated well». A new refuge shelter for dogs and cats As for adopters Hind Moustaghfir declared that they are mostly from Morocco, France and other countries. «Most of the Moroccan adopters prefer cats while dogs are the least taken because of their breed», explains Hind. Now the association's ultimate objective is the establishment of a big refuge shelter in Sidi Rahal, a commune near Casablanca. «We own a land in Sidi Rahal and we managed to sign an agreement with the commune which will help with the building of the refuge», Hind informed Yabiladi. The new project is financed by foreign donations from the USA. «We are very excited about the project as we hope we can raise awareness through it», she pointed out adding that students can come and visit the shelter as a way of raising awareness among youngsters. «Beside the shelter, we are looking forward to receive regular and steady donations», Hind Moustaghfir concluded, stating that the most important thing is to rescue these creatures and put an end to animal abuse and cruelty in the country.
