(VitalNews.org) – One of the largest pet blood banks in the United States was just recently accused of abusing animals and selling blood that they procured from “emaciated, medicated, elderly, sick, and injured” animals.
A report was put out after an undercover investigator was sent into the facility, which is named the Veterinarians Blood Bank in Indiana, and uncovered some shocking facts. Investigators are now looking into this after the findings were revealed.
The Veterinarians Blood Bank in Indiana has been mistreating animals, keeping many of them in there for life to be donors, and they are giving blood that has been deemed dangerous to dogs and cats. PETA Vice President Dan Paden said, “Our investigator saw staff take blood from animals that were sick with cancer and other infections, sometimes pulling blood a week before the animal dies.”
PETA even provided photos and videos that show the animals inside the facility. There were 860 animals at the facility and the photos and videos showed wounded dogs. A staff member said that the manager paid her $200 for bringing in two stray cats and terrible procedures were done on some dogs like debarking surgery.
Many people believe that most donor facilities let animals stay in for a limited time, do their duties, and then get adopted out of being a donor. PETA confirmed that animals that go to the VBB will stay there for the rest of their lives and have their blood drawn every three weeks.
In 2002, VBB was founded by Ron Harrison and Darren Bryant, who were veterinarians. Harrison did not comment, but Bryant stated that dogs do get wounded sometimes from fights but they are tended to immediately; he did not comment on whether or not they draw from sick animals.
Bryant spoke about minuscule issues the inspector found but denied the claims of the facility having 860 and instead said that it has 500. He also stated that “If our animals are not healthy, people are not going to buy a blood product from us,” when talking about donating from sick animals. He continued to say that if they are too old to donate then they “just live here. It’s not a bad life. They are exercised every day and their pens are cleaned every day.”
Investigators are looking into this and inspectors are being sent into the facility to look into the claims being made. According to the record, the state has not visited this facility in about 6 years.
Pet blood banks have had issues in the past when it came to the treatment of the animals and how long they are kept there, so this isn’t something new, but regulating pet blood banks needs to be taken more seriously across the country.
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