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Pet blood donors celebrated with awards
Gru and Mitzy, Feline Blood Donors of the Year.

The announcement was made on World Blood Donor Day.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has named its Pet Blood Donors of the Year.

The Feline Donor of the Year was awarded to two cats, Gru and Mitzy, both owned by Paul Downey in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

The seven-year-old domestic shorthairs have been donating blood since 2016. Gru has donated eight times and Mitzy six times, collectively helping 28 cats between them.

Gru and Mitzy both have Type B blood, a rare type that is only found in 20 per cent of cats.

Due to the rarity of the blood type, all cats requiring a transfusion of this blood are referred to RVC. This makes it particularly important to have cats like Gru and Mitzy on call to donate as needed.

The Canine Donor of the Year was Oliver, an eight-year-old lurcher from Chipping near Buntford, Hertfordshire.

Oliver is a rescue dog, belonging to Jeffrey and Glenys Kenyon, named after Oliver Twist as he had been found abandoned and severely malnourished.

He was first volunteered as a donor in 2018, when his owners’ German Shepherd called Saffron was admitted to RVC Queen Mother Hospital. Oliver was so well behaved during his health assessment that the nurses took a blood donation there and then.

Since then he has donated 18 units of blood, helping at least 36 dogs, as well as several cats.

The RVC’s registered charity, the RVC Animal Care Trust, awards the title to one feline and one canine donor a year, in recognition of their participation in their life-saving programme.

The announcement coincided with World Blood Donor Day, which took place on 14 June.

Charlotte Russo, head of transfusion medicine nurse at the RVC said: “Our voluntary donation programme is totally reliant on the goodwill of local pet owners who bring their pets to donate blood. All donors are given health checks prior to donating and receive a full blood screening annually free of charge. All donors are also gifted a special blood donor tag in recognition of their support and receive a special gift when they retire.”

Image (C) Royal Veterinary College

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.