PETA Global 2018 Issue 1

Victory in FiveWeeks PETA Closes Down Greyhound Blood Bank With a Little Help From Our Friends

P ETA’s supporters are its lifeblood. Case in point: Thanks to a good Samaritan who blew the whistle on The Pet Blood Bank, Inc. – a filthy blood farm in Cherokee, Texas – 151 greyhounds who were imprisoned there have been rescued, and the facility has closed down. The greyhounds had been discarded by the racing industry – tossed out of the frying pan and into the fire. They ended up warehoused in outdoor, wire kennels on an old factory farm where turkeys had once been kept, and all they could do was wait for workers to drag them with a noose, over and over again, to a trailer in which their blood was taken. The whistleblower told his story, and PETA got the ball rolling – quickly. PETA pal Paul McCartney even interrupted his tour to send a letter to Patterson Companies, Inc. – the corporation that profited from distributing the dogs’ blood to veterinary clinics across the US – asking that it rescue them. Tidal Wave of Condemnation Public reaction to PETA’s exposé was swift and severe. The company’s Facebook page was bombarded with comments, and the video showing the dogs’ horrendous living conditions was viewed more than 600,000 times. Many people contacted Patterson to urge its management to secure lifetime care for the dogs. PETA ran mobile billboards that circled both the blood bank owner’s hometown and Patterson’s headquarters, which PETA supporters with signs also surrounded – in addition to paying a visit to the home of the company’s then-president, James Wiltz. The organization also wrote to tens of thousands of veterinarians asking them to consider the suffering that the dogs endured as blood “donors,” as well as purchasing a single share of stock

in the billion-dollar enterprise so as to be able to put pressure on management via annual meetings.

Five weeks after the campaign began, The Pet Blood Bank closed its doors and released the dogs for adoption. An attorney for the blood farm railed against PETA’s efforts, saying that they had forced the business to close by “caus[ing] our long-standing customer relationships to be terminated.” PETA rejoices that these dogs are now getting the care that they need. But most importantly, they can now live as all dogs should: playing, enjoying the company of other dogs, and sharing a home with a loving guardian. It’s a Regulation-Free Free-for-All Appallingly, there is no federal regulation of facilities like this in the US, and in Texas, no state authority inspects or licenses animal blood banks. These secretive facilities operate under the radar – which PETA is now working to change. Take Action Now Saving one dog’s life shouldn’t spell misery for another. Blood transfusions for dogs are relatively rare, so community-based blood banks – which receive blood from well-loved, relaxed dogs who pop into the vet’s office occasionally to give blood, get a treat, and go home – can meet the needs of animals in critical condition. Ask your veterinary clinic to check the source of any blood that it purchases, and insist that the blood not come from factory farms or captive “donors.” Also, be sure your vet doesn’t keep caged donor dogs on the premises.

Dirt floors

Overgrown nails

Open sores

18 ALL TOGETHER NOW