What would you do if you happened to be driving and suddenly saw a man aiming his shotgun at three dogs?

Alexia Caruana, 20, of Bugibba had this experience on Tuesday evening. A dog lover, Ms Caruana, who realised what was about to happen, frantically started sounding her car's horn to distract the man. She then went out of the car and, ignoring personal safety, ran over to the man angrily asking him what his intention was.

Ms Caruana recalled yesterday that the man, in his 40s, told her he was going to kill the dogs because they were sick and that he could not possibly care for them. Unable to accept this she pleaded with him to let the dogs live and to allow her to care for them. The man agreed and walked away.

Ms Caruana said she put the dogs in her car and took them to her uncle, who runs an engineering firm in Marsa, to keep them for the night. She then contacted Alfred Fenech of the Abandoned Animals Association who picked up the dogs after hearing their sorry story.

Mr Fenech, whose mission is to care for abandoned dogs and to find homes for them, said the dogs were not in a condition to be homed yet. They needed urgent medical treatment and for the time being he intended to keep them at the animal sanctuary in Luqa, which was full to capacity.

"I will have to make new kennels for the newcomers. This is an example of how useful a hospital for animals would be," Mr Fenech said.

Together with his team of volunteers Mr Fenech is still collecting signatures to lobby the government to provide such a facility. AAA has already collected some 35,000 signatures calling for an animal hospital to be set up.

The government had indicated it agreed with such a hospital but Mr Fenech said he wished to see more enthusiasm from the authorities to start the ball rolling. Dogs often need urgent medical treatment which had to be provided immediately, Mr Fenech said.

He may be contacted on 7929 7930.