Everyone deserves the right to life - even the weakest among us!

Everyone knows Hurghada, Luxor and Sharm el Sheikh... they are well-known tourist destinations... thousands of people from all over the world fly there. Beautiful beaches, good weather and maybe a camel ride are alluring.

Many tourists spend their holidays in a bubble. The resorts and hotels offer everyone with a little money everything they need. No reason to ever get to know the real, traditional and animal-exploiting Egypt.

I have got to know it. I was looking for relaxation and a holiday in Cairo and got exploitation and unimaginable animal suffering. Thousands of dogs, cats and horses are left to their fate amidst the dirt and filth. Animals die in front of the eyes of passers-by on busy roads. The whole country has lost its awareness of animals.

My personal holiday ended with a visit to the local animal shelter. At night, everything seemed even worse. In a corner in the sand right in the entrance area lay a dog with its back to the wall... nothing unusual at first glance, but on closer inspection I realised that it only had one leg. Three of the four legs had been chopped off. The little worm lay there with its stumps in the sand.

The co-founder of the animal shelter then told me that many dogs are found with their limbs cut off/severely abused - usually already dead on the streets of Cairo. Here in Egypt, it is common practice for trainee vets to be encouraged to carry out experiments on living "objects". They are made to refine their surgical techniques on living animals. The little worm was one of the lucky ones who was found alive soon enough. It brought tears to my eyes and left me stunned.

Back in the flat, I couldn't get the whole thing out of my mind and my boyfriend and I decided to help the little one. We are trying to bring him to Austria.

The chance of survival for such a handicapped dog in Egypt is very low, if not zero. We don't even need to talk about a good, species-appropriate life.

Over the next two days I tried to organise everything in my power. I wrote to private individuals and organisations, wrote articles and visited and looked after the little worm at the animal shelter. The animal shelter helped as much as it could. The stumps are still open, it is bleeding, the tip of a bone is sticking out of the left front leg. He is in pain. The risk of blood poisoning is high.

I am at my absolute maximum. Even now, as I write, it brings tears to my face.

The first step at the moment is to get the little worm to Austria, Vienna. With a flight sponsor or otherwise by myself.

The animal shelter is doing its best to get him ready to travel by then. Capacities are limited. The papers have already been drawn up.

Time is running out!

I need help. Help with everything. Whether it's sharing this article, organising the transport to Austria, providing further care for the little worm, donating goods or money.

I am an individual who wants to make a difference.

I want to help a dog that was born in a country that denies it the right to live.