When people think of Cairo, they think of the pyramids, the Nile, the bustling streets and endless traffic.
What they rarely think about are the dogs.
Yet during my visit to Cairo, I kept seeing them everywhere.
Not running through the streets. Not begging for attention. Most of the time they were simply sleeping.
On pavements. In parks. Under trees. In the shade of buildings.
At first glance, nothing seemed unusual. Cairo is one of the largest cities in the world. In a city of this size, seeing free-roaming dogs is hardly surprising.
But after a while, I realised something.
The dogs were everywhere, yet almost nobody seemed to notice them.
People walked past them. Tourists took photos of monuments. Life continued around them as if they were part of the landscape.
Perhaps they are.
For many Cairenes, street dogs have always been there. They are part of the city's daily rhythm, sharing public spaces with millions of people.
Looking at the dogs resting on the ground, I couldn't help wondering what their lives looked like beyond these quiet moments.
Where would they find food later that day?
Who would help them if they became sick or injured?
Would anyone even know their names?
The dogs in my photographs do not show dramatic suffering. They are not shocking images.
In a way, that is exactly the point.
Animal welfare is not only about emergencies. It is also about the countless animals living ordinary lives on the margins of society, surviving one day at a time.
Cairo reminded me that street dogs are not an exception. They are part of a much larger reality that exists throughout Egypt.
Whether in Cairo, Hurghada or countless smaller communities, thousands of dogs depend on the kindness of individuals who choose not to look away.
Most people will never notice them.
I did.
And once you notice them, it becomes difficult to forget them.
