Sign up for GAP Newsletter
* = required field

Jelena Knows First Hand the Value of CARE

Kew resident Jelena Keleher has been a strong advocate for the Centre of Animal Referral and Emergency (CARE) in Collingwood after a recent experience directly involving two of her pet dogs. An urgent blood donation from her greyhound, Wyatt, allowed Jelena to say her final goodbyes to her pet border collie, Zac. She tells of the experience below…

‘In June this year, we required emergency blood supplies for one of our dogs, Zac, who had unfortunately had massive internal bleeding. The supplies at CARE in Collingwood was running low, so they asked us if we would mind using Wyatt (our greyhound) as a backup should they need it.  This was the first time I had heard of a donation program for greyhounds since the Melbourne Uni program had closed. Zac unfortunately didn’t make it, as his injuries weren’t recoverable.

Wyatt wasn’t required that day, but he was needed the following day due to supplies being depleted.  We asked the usual questions on how it would affect Wyatt, and the ladies at CARE were great, and answered everything that we threw at them.

We dropped Wyatt off in the late afternoon on Friday, along with his favourite pillow pet to make him more comfortable, and he was at the vets for a few hours.  When we picked him up close to midnight, he had a small shaved spot on his neck and leg where the IV was given and the blood was taken from.  He was a little dopey for a few hours, but by the next morning he was back to his usual zoomie self.  We even took him to the Templestowe walk on the Sunday.  There was next to no recovery time, and the entire experience didn’t affect him at all.  We’ve since returned to CARE for blood tests and he wasn’t afraid of going in nor was he afraid of the vets there.

I have since signed up to the blood donation program at CARE because of our previous experience with these vets.  Words cannot describe the gratitude I have for the dog that donated blood for Zac, as it gave us the time we needed to say our final goodbyes to him before he crossed over the rainbow bridge.  This program can help another owner save their fur-baby, or give them the chance to say a final goodbye. As it has no side effects for Wyatt, I have no hesitation in putting my hand up, and I encourage others to do the same.’

Pictured: Jelena Keleher with her greyhound Wyatt, who is now a registered blood donor with CARE.