A PETA eyewitness investigation of Hemopet—a canine blood “bank” in Garden Grove, California—found that this so-called “rescue” warehouses approximately 200 greyhounds bred for and discarded by the racing industry in tiny crates and barren kennels for about 23 hours out of every day—even when they were sick or injured in fights with stressed kennelmates—and boasts that it sells their blood to over 2,000 veterinary clinics in North America and Asia.
Barren Enclosures, No Space to Move Around
Hemopet kept many of the greyhounds in barren, rusty kennels. Others were locked in crates so small that they could barely turn around or even stand up or stretch, and could hardly even see any other dogs.
These greyhounds—who, like all dogs, were eager to run and play and longed for companionship—were taken out of their cages only to be bled, walked briefly, or put into barren concrete-floored pens for a few minutes. Dr. Emma Milne, a veterinarian who reviewed the footage, said, “The length of time they are spending in the cages is completely unacceptable, especially given the size and nature of the cages. Dogs are social animals with complex behavioural and social needs. These welfare needs are not being met at all in this environment” [emphasis in original].
Tails Severed and ‘Dangling by a Little Nerve’
If you’ve ever donated blood, you probably sat on a cushioned chair and enjoyed some orange juice before heading home. But at Hemopet, greyhounds—who are intelligent, gentle, active dogs—were confined for about 23 hours a day, every day, on hard surfaces for months or even years. This perpetual imprisonment caused them to suffer from hair loss, calluses, and pockets of accumulated fluid under the skin.
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World Animals Voice 