Last year, on a whim and out of a desire for a change, I packed my rucksack and moved to Spain. That’s where we met – in the house where we’d rented a room. At first, I found him repulsive. He stank, he was filthy all over, and he was so insistent in seeking affection that it actually made me feel uncomfortable.

But then we became friends; I gave him a bath, had him groomed, and turned him into a rather handsome little dog.

His name is Benji and, at the age of five, he spent his doggy childhood with me.

The woman who lived here before us starved him, and Benji knew nothing but this flat and its concrete terrace. With me, he began to discover the world, and it was incredibly moving to witness it.

A month ago, my partner and I had to go to the Czech Republic. Through a series of unfortunate events, I lost all my savings there and my boyfriend and I split up.

Since then, Benji has been back in that house on his own again; no one takes him for walks. But things are different now, because he knows there’s a world out there that he didn’t know before. Please help me get to Benji.

The funds raised will cover the cost of my journey to Benji and his journey back with me to the Czech Republic