We all know the importance of giving blood. The Red Cross does a great job and conducting blood drives throughout the year.

Since the beginning of the pandemic many people who are not pet owners before find themselves with dogs and cats, they never thought they‘d never have.

Some are from breeders or pet stores, others from shelters. With a sharp increase in pet ownership there is an increase in medical procedures for animals. As a result, the need for canine and feline blood has spiked as well.

Two major local veterinary clinics in my area have put out the appeal for your pet to donate blood.

Taking your pet to the vet can be stressful and a huge pain in the ass. Some pets seem to handle it very well, and those are the ones the clinics are looking for.

Your dog should have a good temperament, we between 55 and 150 pounds, must be in good health with no medication and not on a raw diet.

Mount Laurel animal hospital is holding a blood drive Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., if you are interested in helping other dogs in need.

Also, NorthStar Veterinary Clinic in Robbinsville is looking for blood donations from both dogs and cats.

Your dog or cat may not know what they’re doing a good deed, but you’ll feel better knowing that if your pet needs care someday, that life-saving blood will be available too.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis Malloy's own.

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Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

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