♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ shortage of solutions:
HemoSolutions in desperate need of life-saving canine blood By HaNNaH BLIck PETacULaR
Becky Nusbaum was alone in her office, catching up on emails, when a man walked in off the street and right up to her desk, holding a box of chocolates and a card. “Is this HemoSolutions?” he demanded. “Yes,” she said hesitantly. He thrust the chocolates at her and smiled. “I just wanted to thank you for saving my dog’s life. The vet told me the blood they used in the transfusion came from here. Thank you so much.” Nusbaum let out a sigh of relief and graciously accepted the token of gratitude. She and her staff so rarely receive recognition or contact with the lives they help save that it had caught her off guard. But moments like this remind Nusbaum her work matters — more now than ever.
DRIED UP
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
HemoSolutions is the largest commercial veterinary blood bank in the U.S. that relies strictly on volunteer donations. But despite its ability to help save canine lives, Nusbaum said there is a widespread shortage of donors, causing the blood bank to run out of precious, life-saving blood for dogs in need. “It’s typical to have a shortage of negative blood, but now we’re even having a problem with positive blood,” Nusbaum said. “Every single blood bank across the nation is having the same problem. We’re doing the best we can, but it’s getting hard.” And Nusbaum knows the consequences. “Dogs are dying,” she said. “I really couldn’t tell you how many people we have to turn away because we don’t have blood for them.”
Nusbaum has been with HemoSolutions since its humble beginnings in 2004 and took over ownership in March. The bank, located at 3775 Airport Road, started out as a blood bank for the Animal Emergency Care Center next door, with only employees’ dogs donating blood. Now, the bank collects various blood types from more than 300 volunteer canine donors and ships supplies across the country, a majority to the East Coast. Two full-time and four part-time employees coordinate four or five blood drives each week in five different locations. HemoSolutions sponsors blood drives in Colorado Springs, Woodland Park, Pueblo and Longmont. HemoSolutions requires all volunteer dogs to go through a screening process before they can
BLooD DRIvE cooRDINaToR MELISSa SMILEy HELPS SooTHE 2-yEaR-oLD BoxER REx wHILE HE GIvES BLooD. Photo by Hannah Blick, PETacular
donate; this ensures the dogs are healthy and that donating will not put them at any risk. Nusbaum said is it extremely safe for dogs to donate, and though the screening process coNTINUED oN PaGE 16
Your dog can be a hero and donate life giving blood As the owner of the blood donor, you will receive: •$75 to $150 to use toward your regular veterinary expenses (after 6th donation) •Free blood work and typing for your dog •Priority status in the event your dog needs a transfusion •The personal satisfaction of helping a pet in need
At no cost to the owner, the screening process includes: •Complete blood work •Tick-borne parasite panel •Heart worm test •Full Dog Erthrocyte Antigen (DEA) blood typing Must be at least 50 lbs and between the ages of 1 and 8, please visit www.hemosolutions.com for further restrictions.
HemoSolutions
Donation only takes about 15-20 minutes. No sedation is required. Call today to make an appointment!
The demand is greater than the supply- you can help! 4
summer 2014
Petacular
Call Fax Email Visit Where
719.380.1900 or 1.800.436.0219 719.591.8933 info@hemosolutions.com www.hemosolutions.com Several locations throughout the Front Range area for your convenience