Former lifeguard Wong Kam-cheong now works as a pet paramedic for the Hong Kong Pet Club, saving animals’ lives every day after his beloved cat became paralyzed in the middle of the night and no emergency veterinary care was available.

The Hong Kong Pet Club is the first and only company in the region to provide potentially lifesaving animal ambulance service outside of normal business hours.

The 41-year-old, who started his job in March 2019, is among the first paramedics to work for the company, where first responders have answered hundreds of calls. When Wong reaches the site of a call, he first checks the distressed animal’s vitals. Then, if necessary, he takes the pet to receive care.

Wong chose his current profession out of a calling to help animals in peril who cannot verbally express what is wrong, explaining that time is of the essence when it comes to rescuing sick and injured creatures.

But he also had a personal reason for choosing his new career. As Wong explains in this video, he once had a cat whose hind legs became paralyzed in the middle of the night. By the time he found veterinary care the following day, vets told him that the “golden window” for saving the feline’s legs had closed, leaving risky surgery and euthanasia as the only possible options.

Wong is dedicated to helping other pet parents avoid similar heartbreaking decisions. He approaches his job with the philosophy that pets see their guardians as family members, and it is our duty to care for them.

Lady Freethinker applauds Wong and others like him who are making the world a more compassionate place for all.