Life-saving blood bank service for dogs to start donation days at Plumpton College

Pet Blood Bank UK plans to visit the college for its first donation session at the venue on Sunday, December 13.

The charity, which began in 2007, said it has partnered with the college and is calling for the town’s dogs to come forward, saying that blood from donor dogs goes towards helping save the lives of other dogs in need.

Following its first session at Plumpton, Pet Blood Bank aims to visit the college every two to three months for further donation sessions.

Nicole Osborne from Pet Blood Bank UK said: “We are so excited to launch our very first dog blood donation session in Plumpton. We are looking forward to meeting lots of new donors and really getting the local community behind our mission to help save the lives of dogs across the country. We would love to hear from anyone interested in finding out more or coming along to our session at Plumpton College on Sunday 13 December.”

Pet Blood Bank UK said that every donation from a single dog can help save the lives of up to four other dogs. To become a donor, a dog must weigh more than 25kg, be between the ages of one and eight, and be fit and healthy. The charity said it is also important that dogs are confident and enjoy meeting new people and having new experiences.

The actual blood donation takes about five to ten minutes but the charity said owners should expect their pets to be with the team for about 40 minutes. The charity added that dogs also get a full health check from a Pet Blood Bank vet before donating and get ‘showered with treats, fuss, and attention’ at their appointment. Dogs also get a ‘goody bag’ and toy to take home.

People who would like to register their dog as a donor can visit www.petbloodbankuk.org or call 01509 232 222.