Northamptonshire dog gives new lease of life to other pets after passing due to tissue donation

“It has actually been a great source of comfort to me”
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Trish Shortland from Wymington in Northamptonshire was devastated when her nine year-old mongrel, Cooper passed away but took comfort from donating him to Veterinary Tissue Bank (VTB) where he could go on to give a new lease of life to dogs in need of lifesaving veterinary treatment.

Trish had rescued Cooper from a hard life on the streets of Bulgaria when he was just a few months old.

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Since coming to the UK, he enjoyed all the comforts of a loved pet, with daily walks, good food and the constant companionship of Trish.

Cooper.Cooper.
Cooper.

Trish said: “Cooper had a hard start in life and ended up in a rescue centre in Bulgaria. After joining us, he went on to be an integral member of our family and was loved and gave us lots of love and joy in return.

“He was good with other dogs but had a few issues with people he didn’t know and was spooked by strange objects, such as odd rubbish items on the road and anything unusual. He took comfort from my presence and relied on me to give him support.”

Trish was devastated when Cooper developed dementia and other underlying issues.

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Trish had stumbled across VTB’s pet donor scheme some time ago and was inspired by the thought that her lovely dog could go on to help others after his passing, and immediately recognised the important role donor dogs play in the field of veterinary surgery in helping other dogs to gain a new lease of life.

Cooper with owner Trish Shortland.Cooper with owner Trish Shortland.
Cooper with owner Trish Shortland.

She added: “Cooper was a great character who spent so much of his time with me and I miss him terribly. I wanted something of him to carry on and the donor scheme allowed that to happen.

“I think the donor scheme is a marvellous idea. It has really helped me to come to terms with his passing. It has actually been a great source of comfort to me.

“I was blown away with the wonderful oak casket that came back with his ashes. It’s just beautiful.”

How does tissue donation work?

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Any dog or cat can become a donor but certain medical criteria need to be met. For example, absence of full vaccination records or certain diseases may prevent a pet from becoming a donor. Your vet can advise you on eligibility.

Tissue donation can only take place at the end of your pet’s life. Not every vet is aware of tissue donation scheme, therefore, at this point you can raise this with your vet. The information is available on VTB website. You will then sign a consent form and information will be forwarded to VTB. A single dog or cat donation can help as many as 40-50 pets.

As a large dog, Cooper’s donation went on to help around 50 dogs in need of life transforming surgery.

Once tissues have been retrieved, Veterinary Tissue Bank arranges a cremation and, if you wish, you will then have the option of receiving your pet’s ashes.

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In Cooper’s case, Trish requested an individual cremation and Cooper’s ashes were returned to her in a lovely casket at no cost.

For more information visit vtb.org.uk or call Kerry Arnold RVN on 01691 778769.

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