She had arrived the same day in El Argoub, a seaside resort known for its practice of kitesurfing, located in a region of Western Sahara under Moroccan control.

A 44-year-old French tourist was attacked on the evening of Tuesday August 16 by a pack of stray dogs while she was walking around her hotel.

Victim of numerous bites, she was transported in a serious condition to the hospital, before succumbing to her injuries.

An investigation has been opened by the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie, under the supervision of the prosecution, AFP said. The exact circumstances of the tragedy remain to be determined.

In Morocco, the issue of stray dogs is at the heart of many controversies. Because they are extremely numerous. It is estimated that there are around 3 million stray dogs in the kingdom, according to the dog.com website.

Their proliferation even prompted the Moroccan state to adopt in 2019 an agreement with partners “to sterilize, vaccinate and identify stray dogs”, reports BFMTV.

There are many accidents in the country every year. In December 2021, in the region of Al Haouz, near Marrakech, a girl died after being bitten by a rabid dog.

In France, if however the stray dogs are much less numerous, you may come across some during your travels. In this case, “If the dog is not easily approachable, do not take the risk!”, explains the SPA. Instead, contact the gendarmerie, the police station or the town hall.

If, on the other hand, the canine seems sociable, you can take it to the veterinarian, who will check if it has an identification chip. If this is not the case, it will be transported to the pound. In France, it is the mayor who is responsible for stray animals in his municipality. “As such, he must set up a pound service to recover stray animals”, indicates the site of the SPA.