The blood bank is a typically human facility where individuals go to donate blood to help save the lives of trauma victims through blood transfusions. Now, animals are starting to get in on the action too.
The Eastern Veterinary Blood Bank (EVBB) in Severna Park, Maryland, collects blood donations from animals that go to various creatures that are hit by cars, suffering from a disease or requiring an operation, according to CNN.
Despite a few popping up across the country, animal blood banks are still a rarity, and EVBB is the nation’s largest. Still, many vets believe that these kinds of establishments can help dog and cat health after an animal is injured or becomes ill.
"We see a lot of injured animals come into the clinic, especially dogs hit by cars," a vet technician told the news provider. "Dogs, when they are hit, can lose a lot of blood internally."
There are six different blood types in dogs, however 42 percent of all breeds are universal donors, according to The Dog Health Guide.
Who knew Amy Winehouse was such a cat lover? The troubled singer recently called the local animal shelter to relieve her of her nine cats before she took off on her vacation to Jamaica.
Winehouse gave another two cats to her goddaughter, singer Dionne Bromfield, according to The Sun. It is unclear exactly how long the singer will be vacationing in the Caribbean island, however, she plans on moving residences upon her return to the United Kingdom and 11 cats were just too much to bear.
Although some people may consider owning 11 felines hoarding and detrimental to cat health, a source told the news provider that Winehouse deeply cared for all of her animals and was sad to part with them.
"Amy was pretty upset about it because she loved them dearly, but she had to give them up," the source said. "They were climbing all over the place, breeding and generally getting out of control."
Many blogs have posted outrage over the fact that Winehouse, who is known for her train wreck behavior, was allowed to provide pet care to even one animal, let alone 11.
Although many pet owners may believe that a dog or a cat is the way to go in terms of a furry companion, one woman believes that all you need is a capybara.
Capybaras, which are the world’s largest rodent, are not usually kept as pets, but that didn’t stop Melanie Typaldos from buying one from a breeder in Texas, according to MSNBC.
Typaldos is the owner of Caplin Rous, a 100-pound capybara that performs tricks like any other household pet, but resembles a giant hamster. She’s quick to point out that Caplin isn’t what most people perceive when they think of rodents.
"People hear the word rodent and they think it’s some kind of a dirty word," Typaldos told the news provider. "But many of them are very smart, clean, loving animals."
However, this exotic animal requires extensive pet care, such as being dipped in a pool at least once a day to stay clean, as well as a large yard for grazing purposes.
Caplin is also an internet sensation, with a blog, Facebook and Twitter account.
A mutt named Bella was recently rescued and placed in the care of an animal rescue worker after avoiding capture for several years, instead choosing to roam highway 395 in Oregon.
Several locals began to notice Bella wandering the highway many years ago, according to the Seattle Times. Although she had always avoided capture, dozens of individuals began looking after the mutt by leaving her food and even building her a makeshift dog house that would protect her from the cold.
A number of rescue attempts had gone underway, however, Bella always managed to escape. One time she went as far as to dart in front of oncoming traffic that left her with a broken leg, but she just kept running.
It wasn’t until she gave birth to a litter of puppies that rescue workers were able to apprehend her and her brood, and one of the volunteers took her in. Veterinarians nursed Bella back to good dog health and provided her with all of the necessary shots.
Some individuals will miss Bella wandering the highway, as she was a sense of comfort for many years.
"It felt so good to put my hands on her and touch her," Jan Taylor, a bus driver who stopped to feed Bella everyday on her way home, told the news provider. "It’s been so many years of seeing her out there, wandering in the rain and snow."
Across America, people are cutting back on everything from new clothing to evenings out on the town. But Americans just can’t say no to a cuddly kitten.
Spending data recently released by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) reveals that the pet care industry grew by about 5 percent in 2009, and industry experts are expecting equal growth in 2010, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The APPA data reflects spending increases on pet food, supplies, veterinary care, live animal purchases as well as grooming and boarding services. In total, the industry made about $45.5 billion in 2009, and spending is expect to be close to $48 billion this year.
Pet industry experts are saying that our tendency to "humanize" pet products and services is largely responsible for the increased spending.
In 2009, veterinary care alone grew by 8.5 percent as pet owners splurged on innovative services like spa treatments and dental cleanings for their pampered animals, reports the news source.
The field seems to be ripe for growth as new ideas emerge. Last year, entrepreneurs started businesses that focused on removing pet droppings from yards for a weekly fee and developing ice cream that is palatable to dogs.