by Eddie Atkinson

A charity has put out a call for dogs to make lifesaving blood donations.

Pet Blood Bank UK is appealing for owners in Tunbridge Wells to put their pets forward as donors to save canine lives.

Just like humans, sick pets can find themselves in desperate need of a blood transfusion.

These procedures require vets to have a reliable supply of healthy blood available, which is where Pet Blood Bank UK comes in.

Launched in 2007, the charity works very similarly to the human service, collecting blood from donors across the UK, taking them for processing and separation into red blood cells and plasma products and then dispatching them to vets in need.

Every unit of blood saves up to four lives, saving thousands of pets a year.

The Well House Veterinary Clinic in Tunbridge Wells is one of the charity’s host venues and it has appealed for happy, healthy dogs to be registered for donation sessions.

The blood bank says donor dogs should be confident, enjoy meeting people and welcome new experiences to ensure they are comfortable during the process.

The bank is in particular looking for certain breeds more likely to have the vital negative blood type, which is in very high demand as it can be given to any dog in an emergency.

Only 30% of dogs have this blood type and maintaining supplies has proved a challenge. These breeds include German Shepherds, Dobermanns, flat and curly coated retrievers, greyhounds, border collies, boxers, Old English sheepdogs and American bulldogs.

The donation takes five to 10 minutes but owners should expect their dogs to be with the team for about 40.

They receive a full health check before donating and are showered with treats and attention throughout the appointment, as well as receiving a goody bag on the way out.

Donors must weigh more than 25kg, be aged between one and eight and not be on any medication.

They must also have never travelled outside of the UK and Ireland.

If you are interested in registering your dog or would like to book an appointment for the donation session at The Well House Veterinary Clinic on Saturday, August 3 visit www.petbloodbankuk.org or call 01509 232222.