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Helwa ya Baladi

Stray animal overpopulation is a problem in every corner of the world.
In Egypt, where stray dogs are called “Baladi” that essentially means “local", the government is known to organize mass poisonings and the police will sometimes shoot stray dogs on sight.

Egyptians seem to be divided into clear black and white viewpoints when it comes to their baladis. They either love them or they hate them. Sadly, it’s very common for children and adults to abuse street animals, sometimes even killing them. It seems to plague the poorer and less educated regions of the country but it’s not uncommon to see it in the tourist areas.
Thanks to social media the sad conditions of stray animals, and their suffering, is becoming more commonly known, people are adopting shelter animals at higher rates than before, volunteers try to cure, feed and sterilize them.
In recent years the baladis have been greatly re-evaluated, but it is difficult for them to be adopted in their own origin country as Egyptians still prefer to buy breed dogs.
Most find new life abroad thanks to the love and dedication of associations and private donors, who are fighting everyday to give them a better life.


written by Josh Hines & Annamaria Bruni
Two rescued stray dogs in a private shelter waiting for  food.
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Two rescued stray dogs in a private shelter waiting for food.
A flyer from a volunteer requesting donations for street dogs. Since the Coronavirus pandemic began, flights have halved and travel costs have increased significantly, making it more difficult to find forever homes abroad for baladi dogs.
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A flyer from a volunteer requesting donations for street dogs. Since the Coronavirus pandemic began, flights have halved and travel costs have increased significantly, making it more difficult to find forever homes abroad for baladi dogs.

After neutering the stray, veterinarian Amira and volunteer Alberto clean it of parasites before placing it back on the streets.
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After neutering the stray, veterinarian Amira and volunteer Alberto clean it of parasites before placing it back on the streets.
A stray in the Sharm el Sheikh landfill
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A stray in the Sharm el Sheikh landfill
Often Bedouins use the baladis as guard dogs for their goats.
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Often Bedouins use the baladis as guard dogs for their goats.
 A Bedouin girl holds a stray puppy that lives on the street in front of her house.
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A Bedouin girl holds a stray puppy that lives on the street in front of her house.
Doctor Albert Gabra, a 58-year-old veterinarian from Cairo, kisses a "baladi" dog, as stray dogs are called in Egypt, after it has been sterilized with the contributions of donors.
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Doctor Albert Gabra, a 58-year-old veterinarian from Cairo, kisses a "baladi" dog, as stray dogs are called in Egypt, after it has been sterilized with the contributions of donors.

Manuela, an Italian volunteer, checks the lock on the dog cage outside the Sharm el Sheikh airport. After a long wait, the dog has finally been adopted by an Italian family.
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Manuela, an Italian volunteer, checks the lock on the dog cage outside the Sharm el Sheikh airport. After a long wait, the dog has finally been adopted by an Italian family.

Helwa ya Baladi
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Hany has built his own dogs shelter.
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Hany has built his own dogs shelter.
Noha Foud Mohamed lives with 16 dogs and around 22 cats, all rescued from the street.
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Noha Foud Mohamed lives with 16 dogs and around 22 cats, all rescued from the street.


Loretta Grigoletto, baladi lovers and animal activist,  is a longtime fan of Egyptian dogs, especially the famous Saluki greyhounds, and pharaon hounds.
She promotes knowledge of the breeds and their characteristic.
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Loretta Grigoletto, baladi lovers and animal activist, is a longtime fan of Egyptian dogs, especially the famous Saluki greyhounds, and pharaon hounds.
She promotes knowledge of the breeds and their characteristic.
Helwa ya Baladi
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Hany has been looking after stray dogs with his wife for eight years. They built a shelter in their garden for 25 dogs. Every night he feeds several street dogs in Roweisset, the industrial area of Sharm el Sheikh, with the chicken scraps that are given to him by the hotels.
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Hany has been looking after stray dogs with his wife for eight years. They built a shelter in their garden for 25 dogs. Every night he feeds several street dogs in Roweisset, the industrial area of Sharm el Sheikh, with the chicken scraps that are given to him by the hotels.
A stray female who has just given birth to nine puppies looks for food in the garbage.
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A stray female who has just given birth to nine puppies looks for food in the garbage.
Many street dogs suffer from abuse and violence, like Mars. Months of beatings paralyzed his hind legs until the Voice of the Voiceless Foundation has rescued him.
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Many street dogs suffer from abuse and violence, like Mars. Months of beatings paralyzed his hind legs until the Voice of the Voiceless Foundation has rescued him.

Helwa ya Baladi
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Dara Mohanna Durra inside her Pets Hotel in Sharm el Sheikh. Dara built it in 2009 together with Sonia, a baladi lover, to raise funds for the sterilization of stray dogs in Sharm el Sheikh. 
During the past ten years she has neutered hundreds of dogs.
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Dara Mohanna Durra inside her Pets Hotel in Sharm el Sheikh. Dara built it in 2009 together with Sonia, a baladi lover, to raise funds for the sterilization of stray dogs in Sharm el Sheikh.
During the past ten years she has neutered hundreds of dogs.
Helwa ya Baladi
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