A UK charity is appealing for dog owners to come forward with their canine companions and donate blood to save the lives of other dogs.
Pet Blood Bank UK works with many veterinary practices across the country and is looking for owners of healthy and happy dogs to register their furry friends for donation sessions. The service operates in a very similar way to the human blood service, but for dogs.
They collect blood donations from doggy donors across the UK, and for every donation a dog gives, the lives of up to four other dogs can be saved.
One regular canine donor is Stumpy, who was one top donating dogs in the country before retiring from donating – and reached an incredible 30 donations.
Dedicated donor, Stumpy, is a golden Labrador who was originally bred to be a Guide Dog. However, he was born with deformed legs and was therefore unable to join the programme. But becoming a blood donor has meant he’s helped to save the lives of up to 120 other dogs.
To become a donor, certain criteria must be met. The dog must weigh more than 25kg, be between the ages of one and eight, and be fit and healthy.
Blood donor dogs also need to be confident and enjoy meeting people, as the dogs will be in the donation room alone while owners wait outside, to minimise risk during the pandemic.
Like humans, dogs have different blood types and negative blood is in extremely high demand as this can be given to any dog in an emergency. Keeping up with demand is challenging as only 30% of dogs have this blood type.
Certain breeds are more likely to have a negative blood type, therefore Pet Blood Bank UK is appealing for the following breeds to come forward: German Shepherds, Dobermanns, Flat and Curly Coated Retrievers, Greyhounds, Lurchers, Boxers, Old English Sheepdogs, and Weimaraners.
Pet Blood Bank UK is leading the way in advanced blood banking and is committed to making a difference in the lives of dogs across the UK. To register your dog to become a lifesaving donor, visit the Pet Blood Bank UK website.
