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Pet Blood Bank UK comments on 'dog vampire' reports
"All our wonderful donors live in the UK, and we work closely with their owners to ensure they enjoy the experience of coming to give blood" - PBB UK.

“We pride ourselves on ensuring the welfare of our donors is at the forefront of what we do” - PBB UK.

UK charity Pet Blood Bank UK has responded to an article published in The Telegraph on Saturday (2 July) about a man believed to have killed hundreds of cats and dogs by draining them of their blood to sell to vets across Europe.

Luis Miguel VF, dubbed by reporters as the 'dog vampire', was arrested after Civil Guard Officials shut down his illegal veterinary transfusion business. Officials believe that at least 500 animals died at Mr Miguel's operation in Humanes de Madrid, Spain, which he had been running for almost 20 years. 

In a statement released to reassure users about its work, Katrina Wilkinson, managing director at Pet Blood Bank UK, said: "We were horrified and saddened to read the media coverage coming from Spain on the devastating situation for dog and cat donors there.

"At Pet Blood Bank UK, we pride ourselves on ensuring the welfare of our donors is at the forefront of what we do. All our wonderful donors live in the UK, and we work closely with their owners to ensure they enjoy the experience of coming to give blood to help save the lives of other pets.

"Looking after our donors and maintaining a high standard of animal welfare is at the heart of and intrinsic to what we do.We would like to reassure our veterinary customers that all Pet Blood Bank UK blood products are produced by us and from UK donors.’

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.