In the heart of Marrakech, one woman has made it her life’s mission to protect the voiceless. Since 2014, Ibitssam Ait Mericha has poured every cent she owns, every ounce of energy, and every moment of her life into caring for Morocco’s most vulnerable animals.

What began as a simple pet hotel soon became something far greater. When owners started abandoning their animals and never returning, Ibitssam refused to turn them away. One by one, injured, sick, and starving animals began showing up at her door. And one by one, she took them in. In 2017, Help Adopt Moroccan Animals became an officially registered charity.

Today, Ibitssam cares for over 300 animals (182 dogs and 119 cats) —completely alone. She receives no government support, no funding, and has no volunteers. Not because people don’t want to help—but because without proper facilities, she can’t offer them a place to stay.

She has faced threats from her landlord, who has threatened to cut off water and electricity to the shelter and wants her gone. She is under constant pressure to abandon the very animals she has sacrificed everything to protect. But she refuses to give up on them.

Now, she needs us to keep going.

Why This Fundraiser Matters — and Where the Money Is Going

In Morocco, animal charities receive no financial help from the state. In fact, shelters like Ibitssam’s are often threatened or ignored. That’s why this appeal matters — because the only support these animals will ever get is from people like you.

To protect these animals, we need more than emergency donations. We need a real plan — one that saves lives now and secures their future. We’ve broken that vision down into three realistic phases:

Phase 1: Emergency Survival – €10,000 (Current Goal)

This is the bare minimum needed to keep 300+ animals alive and safe in the short term.

Phase 2: Land & Safety – €50,000 (Next Goal)

We can’t keep living with eviction threats. This phase secures a safe piece of land and begins the path to independence.

Phase 3: A Self-Sustaining Sanctuary – €75,000+

This is the dream: a forever home for animals and a place of learning, healing, and hope.

Why It’s Urgent:

With stray dog killings sweeping across Morocco, Ibitssam’s shelter has become a lifeline for those who would otherwise face a brutal fate. But she’s at a breaking point. Without immediate help, she may lose everything—including the lives she’s sworn to protect.

The Dream:

“I don’t want to rely on donations forever,” says Ibitssam. “One day I want to open the doors of this shelter to the public—not just for adoption, but to create a space where animals heal, people learn, and love replaces fear. That’s my dream.”

Please stand with Ibitssam. Help her build the safe haven that Morocco’s forgotten animals so desperately need. Every donation, no matter how big or small, brings her closer to land, to security, and to a future where no animal is left behind.