COULD local animal care agencies advise people what to do if an animal has been involved in a road accident. Correspondent Mr S. Butterworth (June 11) highlighted the problem just two days before the following happened to me.

I am a nurse at Bealey Hospital in Radcliffe and on the morning of June 7, at around 7.30am, one of the day staff brought in a cat that she had seen knocked down. It had no collar and was in great distress.

I telephoned the RSPCA and the Cats Protection League but could get only a taped message. In desperation, I rang the police, who gave me the number of Animals in Distress. The man said it would take him two hours to come from Irlam. I finished my shift at 7.45am and the day staff carried on their efforts to find help for the poor animal. At 11am they again rang Animals in Distress, to be told that they couldn't make it and were advised to take the cat to the vet. The staff at Bealey's were not in a position to do this as they were on duty.

Finally a local vet agreed to see the cat and one of the staff, who was off-duty at the time, came to take it to the surgery.

The lack of concern and of readily available help for a suffering animal appalled me. This was not even at weekend but on a Monday morning! I regularly donate to animal charities but this has prompted a re-think on my part.

Can someone please tell me what the procedure is to get help for an injured animal - both in and out of normal hours.

Unfortunately, the cat died shortly after going to the vet's.

DISGUSTED ANIMAL LOVER,

Radcliffe.

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