HIBAPRESS – Abdelatif Baraka
After a judicial path that lasted for years, the Agadir municipality implemented a judicial decision to compensate a citizen for damages he suffered following an accident caused by stray dogs that were roaming some streets of the city. A financial compensation was disbursed in his favor after exhausting the various stages of litigation.
The facts of the case date back to a complaint submitted by the person concerned to the Administrative Court following his fall from his motorcycle after being chased by stray dogs, which caused him an injury that required treatment. The case went through a long process within the corridors of the administrative judiciary. An initial ruling was issued in favor of the injured party before being upheld by the Administrative Court of Appeal in Marrakech. The implementation ended with the disbursement of compensation after completing the legal procedures. This file justifies the role of the judiciary in redressing the wronged when negligence in the management of public utilities and spaces is proven, and in establishing the principle of linking responsibility to accountability. The incident brings back to the forefront the problem of the growing phenomenon of stray dogs in a number of Moroccan cities and the risks it poses to the physical safety of citizens and road users. This, according to observers, necessitates the adoption of more effective approaches that combine prevention, field intervention, and sustainable solutions, while enhancing citizens' awareness of their rights in pursuing legal procedures when exposed to any harm.
