This National Blood Donor Month Your Pet Could Be a Hero

BluePearl Pet Hospital is encouraging pet owners to consider their pets as life-saving donors

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- January is National Blood Donor month and BluePearl Pet Hospital, proudly part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of businesses, is calling on pet owners across the country to help alleviate the shortage of blood products in the veterinary industry by signing their dogs and cats up to become blood donors. With increasing demand for specialty and emergency veterinary care, BluePearl estimates that three times the amount of donations will be needed in 2025 to meet the growing need.

Just as humans require blood transfusions for medical conditions or emergencies, the same is true for pets and each donation made has the potential to save the lives of up to three other pets. BluePearl's voluntary, community-based blood banking program currently operates in 15 locations across the country and provides pet owners the option to withdraw pets from the donation process at any time.

BluePearl has implemented industry-leading requirements for pets to donate blood, prioritizing patient safety throughout the process. Healthy cats and dogs between ages one and eight that meet additional requirements are eligible to donate through a short process where they comfortable and closely monitored. BluePearl recommends 12-week intervals between donations. Additional requirements and locations of BluePearl Blood Banks can be found at Bluepearlvet.com/bloodbank.

"Blood Donor Month is a moment to raise awareness of the critical need for blood donations in the veterinary industry," said Meghan Respess, DVM, DACVECC, director of blood banking at BluePearl. "If you have a pet that meets our eligibility requirements, we'd love to see you at one of the BluePearl Blood Banks across the country. Your pet will be treated like the hero they are, with plenty of love and treats, while positively impacting the lives of other pets."

BluePearl will highlight the ease of pet blood donations during a demonstration at the world's largest veterinary conference, Veterinary Meeting and Expo (VMX) in Orlando, FL, later this month.

"We rely on pet blood donations to be able to provide lifesaving and lifegiving care in our hospitals when pets need us most," said Richard Stone, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), chief medical officer at BluePearl. "Our goal is to ensure that the BluePearl Blood Bank is fully self-sufficient, allowing us to use blood products that are received from our volunteer donors to save the lives of others. I encourage all pet owners to learn more about our blood banking program and sign up to help other pets in need."

BluePearl aims to source 50% of the blood products used in its hospitals from the BluePearl Blood Bank by the end of 2026. For pets enrolled in the program, BluePearl provides a complimentary physical exam before each donation and annual lab work.

BluePearl provides exceptional specialty and emergency care through shared passion, knowledge and talents in service of its purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. To learn more about BluePearl and the BluePearl Blood Bank Program, visit BluePearlVet.com/blood-bank , and follow us on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

About BluePearl Pet Hospital
Founded in 1996, BluePearl is one of the largest specialty and emergency veterinary practices in the U.S. today. BluePearl has more than 110 hospitals in 30 states that together employ 8,000+ Associates, including 1,100+ veterinarians, 4,000+ veterinary technicians, and 1,600+ other professionals. Each year, our compassionate teams provide high-quality care for more than 1.1 million pets and their families. BluePearl clinicians also participate in clinical studies to discover new treatments and procedures that improve pet health. As part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of practices, BluePearl is committed to its purpose — A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS — because pets make a better world for us. Learn more at BluePearlVet.com.

About Mars Veterinary Health
Mars Veterinary Health is a global division of Mars Petcare dedicated to delivering high-quality pet healthcare in service of its purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. The Mars Veterinary Health family of practices includes nearly 70,000 Associates across North America, Europe, and Asia who demonstrate compassion and expertise in caring for millions of pets each year. As part of a family-owned business with nearly 90 years of experience caring for pets—including 30 years in veterinary services—Mars Veterinary Health makes long-term investments to support its Associates and contribute to the future of veterinary medicine through innovation, scientific research, and access to care. Learn more at marsveterinary.com.

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SOURCE BluePearl Management, LLC