The Mt. Laurel Animal Hospital is hosting the Red Cross Human and Canine Blood Drive on Saturday, Aug. 22. This unique drive allows dogs to donate blood and help canine patients at Penn Vet and humans can donate blood to the American Red Cross.
Sweet Pea, an extremely friendly pit bull mix, is donating as a grateful survivor of life-threatening trauma. . She survived injuries as a “bait dog” abused by a dogfighting operation when Kathy McGuire, president, and founder of NJ Aid for Animals, Inc., rescued her this past spring. “Sweet Pea not only survived, but she is also thriving,” McGuire said.
As a “bait dog,” Sweet Pea was a helpless victim abused by a dogfighting operation to train fighting dogs to main or kill their opponents. When she became too badly injured to be useful, they abandoned her at a Camden City garbage dump. When McGuire and the NJ Aid for Animals’ team rushed Sweet Pea to Mt. Laurel Animal Hospital, she was in excruciating pain from her wounds. Sweet Pea was “one of the worst bait dog survivors” that Dr. Marcy Rose, her treating veterinarian, had ever seen. For days, Sweet Pea endured being swathed in bandages and covered with salve. “With her flesh exposed like a burn victim, Sweet Pea was in unimaginable pain,” McGuire said, “but she never became aggressive with her veterinarians or caregivers.”
Sweet Pea has fully recovered and is an adoptable ambassador of good will for dogs in need. She also wants to support Mt. Laurel Animal Hospital in meeting its goal for humans and canine participants.
The Red Cross is facing an impending shortage of the most needed blood types. Penn Vet Animal Blood Bank is vitally important because a blood transfusion can be a life-saving procedure. The criteria for canine donors includes excellent health, a willingness to donate, weight between 50 and 150 pounds, between the ages of 1 and 6, and a blood test at no cost to donors on site the day of the test. For human donors, donors must be feeling well, weigh at least 110 and be at least 17 years of age. There is no breed discrimination.
Sweet Pea is urging everyone to register now at [email protected] and to tell their friends and family to make this a dog day to remember. Sweet Pea and all canine donors will receive a bag of dry or a case of canned dog food. Human donors will receive a voucher for a free medium coffee and donut from Dunkin’ Donuts and a $2.50 Turkey Hill voucher. It is a family outing that can’t be missed. Dogs and humans are counting on it.
