Late one night, on the road from Fontana to Xlendi, with the lightning flashing, my friend and I spotted a little white dog running up and down at the side of the road, then curling up to go to sleep. It was obviously soon going to be run over if left where it was.

I stopped the car, quickly followed by another car, which also stopped, containing two Gozitan ladies and one of their sons.

The dog was exhausted and emaciated, had a wound on its back and an apparent growth under its tail. My friend sat with the little dog in the back of my car.

As we all had dogs, it was decided for safety that the little dog should spend the night in another friend’s bathroom, sleeping on a fluffy old towel with food and water.

It ate ravenously and was soon asleep. In the morning, one of the ladies would come and we would sort it out.

This dear lady walked from Fontana to Xlendi early in the morning and we took the little dog to my vet.

The dog was old, about half its expected weight, and had other problems. The good news was that it was microchipped and has now been reunited with its owners.

I would really like to thank the vet very much for his professionalism, help and thoroughness when landed with this problem in the middle of morning surgery.

I would also like to apologise most sincerely to those people who had to wait longer for their appointments, due to us.

Very many thanks to the kind ladies and the young man from Fontana as well as to the Animal Welfare Service.

All of us also wish the little white dog, Bobby, the best of luck and to get well soon.