Morocco is a Muslim country so dogs are not usually kept as pets as Q'ran sees them as impure. There are many interpretations of this, with some scholars seeing all dogs as inferior and impure, and some allowing exceptions, like in the case of working dogs, be it for herding sheep, police work or as guide dogs. Here is a useful and succinct explanation of the rules.
Having said that, I have seen people having dogs as pets so like all rules, they are to be broken. They seemed happy and well looked after, like the little Ruza below. I met him in one of the many enchanting tiny streets in the Medina. One has to haggle for everything in Marrakech, so even taking this photo was a bit of a business transaction. 10 dirhams changed hands, and I was allowed to take his photo. Ruza was very friendly and sweet, and very well looked after, with his coat silky and smooth. The breed is hard to determine, but a King Charles Cavalier comes to mind, just from looking at his snub muzzle, colouring and coat texture.
I also met this little fellow, who resides in a Dar Mimoun, one of the beautiful riad style hotels in the Medina. In the oasis of greenery and calm atmosphere of the courtyard restaurant, the little mutt was barking very loudly at the visitors, guarding his patch.
Unfortunately, there are also examples homeless dogs, that simply roam the streets and feed on scraps of food lying around. I saw this one, quite a young puppy, sleeping in the street, avoiding the heat in a shadow on an old wheelbarrow.
The homeless dogs live cheek by jowl with the enormous population of feral cats. Cats are a part and parcel of Marrakech life, hundreds of them walking around, lithe and thin, weaving around restaurant tables hoping for some food. They are everywhere, walking the streets, sleeping in the shade of the goods displayed in on the stalls, in the back alleys, and in the souks, the traditional markets.
However unfair or nearly heartbreaking it may seem to the Western eye, it is a reality of the poor countries, that animals like dogs and cats are very low down the pecking order. In a city where women, children, the old, infirm and disabled beg on the streets, a homeless dog or cat is the least of anybody's worries. It simply gives one another perspective on life, one not as clear cut and comfortable as the Western one.
