If you have ever visited my house, you'll know our Tinks. She greets everyone in the kitchen, insisting on head scratches while the kettle boils, before curling up on your lap to make you feel like an esteemed guest.

Yesterday evening, she went out for her usual wander, but within minutes a neighbour knocked on the door. He had spotted her being attacked by a dog, scooped her up, and brought her straight to us. We rushed her to the emergency vet. She was shaken, though not bleeding heavily, and needed an X-ray alongside an examination under sedation. At this point, we thought she was going to be okay.

Unfortunately, she's been desperately unlucky, getting a bite wound which punctured her urethra. She's just out of surgery to sort this out, and the catheterisation went smoothly, it's likely she'll need further surgery to repair the skin which is likely to die away. Basically, her fanny might fall out and no one wants that!

The vet bills so far stand at £2,000 for the initial care and examinations and now, a further £1,925 for the surgery and 2 more days in hospital. The issue will be how well her skin recovers. When I left full-time employment, I had very little income and so she isn't insured.

She's doing well at the moment- she was enjoying lots of gentle head rubs and cuddles when we went to see her and didn't seem to be in any pain. She is charming all the nurses at Medivet, but we are looking into transferring her to Animal Trust to keep ongoing costs down.

If Tinks has ever made you feel special, or if you would like to help me keep her fanny where it should be, any contribution towards her care would mean so much to me.