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A feature on BBC London News on Wednesday 23 January during which a blood donor dog met a dog whose life had been saved by his donation, has attracted huge interest from owners enquiring about their dogs’ suitability to donate. The piece was filmed at Medivet Hendon during a regular Donor Day run by Medivet’s not-for-profit in-house blood donation service, VetBlood.

Greyhound Tommy is a regular donor to VetBlood and, to help raise awareness of the importance of canine blood donation, travelled to Hendon for the Donor Day with his owner Mr Michael Brooks from Welwyn Garden City to meet Dodge, a cocker spaniel, from Flitwick, Bedfordshire, and his family. Tommy’s blood donation helped to save Dodge’s life following serious complications he suffered after surgery to remove a foreign body in his throat in September 2018. They were interviewed by Helen Mulroy, a reporter from BBC London News, who also filmed the other dogs and their owners who had attended the session to donate blood.

Ms Denise Turner RVN, Manager of VetBlood for Medivet, said: “We are experiencing high demand for blood products so wanted to encourage dog owners to consider whether their dog may be a suitable donor and to reassure them as to the safety of the process. We were delighted that Tommy, Dodge and their families were able to join us and it was very touching to see them meet and a wonderful way to show the difference that canine blood donations can make.

“We’ve had a fantastic response to the piece and been inundated with calls from potential donors. We hope that the publicity from this piece will help to raise awareness of the importance of canine blood donation in London and, indeed, right across the country.”

Medivet is an independently owned network of 250 veterinary practices, and 15 fully staffed 24-hour veterinary centres across the UK, of which six are 24-hour veterinary hospitals. Underpinned by its partnership ethos, it is forging a national network of partner-run practices, offering exceptional veterinary care to patients all under one roof.