Tissue Donation

Ethical Donor Programme

Veterinary Tissue Bank runs an ethical donor programme and as such the principles and procedures are very similar to human tissue donation. Pet owners sign a consent form and the medical and vaccination histories are examined by the veterinary practitioner. Only the UK pet donations are accepted to ensure safety and high quality of the transplants.

The gift of tissue donation

When faced with the loss of your pet, you may like to consider the health benefits to other pets from tissue donation. Tissue donation can help recipients with broken bones, bone cancer, arthritis, spinal instabilities, ruptured tendons, blindness, injuries in eyes, etc. These injuries can often arise from car accidents, falling from height, old age, traumatic injuries and birth defects among other things often seen in companion animals. A single donor can help between 50 to 80 recipients, even more in some cases.

We understand our pets are very much a member of the family and losing them is a very upsetting experience. Your gesture of donation in a time of loss will have huge benefits for many other pets. You may find solace and comfort in the knowledge that your decision to donate will improve the life of many other pets. The gift of tissue donation can help alleviate the grief and help the bereavement process.

Discussing tissue donation at the time of loss is a difficult subject for both owners and vets. Often the best time to think about donation is when one’s pet is fit and healthy - just as people might think about being an organ or tissue donor well in advance of when they die. Thinking about the issue prospectively means that ‘the conversation’ is easier when end of life comes around, and the pet’s veterinary practice team can have noted the client’s wishes on the medical record well in advance.

Pet owners can now register their dogs and cats with VTB to become tissue donors. Please REGISTER YOUR PET by completing and submitting the form below. VTB will issue a Pet Donor Card and a dog tag to you to carry, and inform your practice about your wish. You can always change your mind about the donation at any time after the registration.

VTB will issue a pet donor card and a dog tag to the owner

Register your pet
as a tissue donor

About you

Name:

Telephone:

Email address:

Street address:

Town / city:

Postcode:

About your pet

Pet’s name:

Species (cat / dog):

Breed:

Pet’s date of birth:

Vet practice

Practice name:

Street address:

Town / city:

Postcode:

I can confirm that I am the owner of the above animal, or have the authority to make this decision, and I am not aware that anyone objects to this

I confirm that I consent to VTBank contacting my veterinary surgeon to inform them of my pet’s registration as a donor

I would like to receive information from Veterinary Tissue Bank about tissue donation and how this has helped other pets

Enter this code » Verify

Into the verify box »