Picture this: It's 5.30 p.m. near the Qormi petrol station when a cat is hit by a passing car. The poor cat was bleeding but managed to stumble to a safer area on the side road. Onlookers had a shocked expression but no action was taken.

Being perhaps emotionally weaker than the rest I decided to help the poor cat. However, that alone wasn't enough, and expert hands were required to get hold of the cat and transport it to a vet. Since no official animal ambulance number is available, I started making phone calls to vets, emergency services and so on but nobody could do anything in the situation.

Dr Annette Borg referred me to the St Francis Foundation and immediately a member came over with his personal car all the way from Vittoriosa. The person had no idea if the call was a genuine one or not but still took the risk.

An hour-and-a-half of dedication and patience led to the restraining of the frightened and badly-injured cat. Dr Borg agreed to attend to the cat although she had already closed the clinic. I was ready to remunerate both the vet and the St Francis Foundation member for their work and dedication but none of the two accepted. These are animal lovers indeed.

Repeated visits to the vet were required and the member of the foundation came daily from Vittoriosa to Lija to tend the cat at my house. The cat is now healthy and homed. The lack of an animal ambulance service surely doesn't encourage the public to help out in such situations. We are lucky enough to have big-hearted people who are willing to run such a service but apparently no funds are allocated. Animal 112 please!