A Dutch woman living near Egypt’s Giza Pyramids has drawn widespread praise after a video of her confronting a man allegedly beating a donkey went viral, prompting a police investigation and renewed calls for stronger animal welfare protections.
The incident, filmed in Nazlet El-Semman near the Sphinx, shows Jock Vanderbost intervening after witnessing Bilal Mahmoud repeatedly whip the animal. In the footage, she is seen physically blocking the blows and exchanging heated words with the man.
The video triggered outrage online and cast a spotlight on the mistreatment of working animals in Egyptian tourist areas. Egyptian Streets reported that Egypt’s Ministry of Interior later confirmed Mahmoud had been arrested after admitting to striking the donkey, claiming it had become agitated and that he was trying to calm it.
Mahmoud filed a counter-complaint accusing Vanderbost of assault and said the video’s spread caused him “psychological harm.” Authorities are now investigating both parties.
Vanderbost, married to an Egyptian, has lived in the area for years and runs a free veterinary clinic near the pyramids. Staffed by three veterinarians, the clinic treats donkeys, horses, and mules used in the tourism sector—offering wound care, deworming, and disease treatment.
She gained local recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic for helping animals whose owners could no longer afford care.
“This isn’t about conflict,” she said in an earlier interview. “It’s about compassion and giving these animals a chance to live without pain.”
The video has reignited debate around animal rights in Egypt, with growing calls for reforms to protect working animals in tourism hotspots.