Meet the vet coordinating Ireland's only animal blood clinic

This unique clinic in UCD is always seeking donations from pets, via their owners

UCD Veterinary Hospital Blood Donor Clinic coordinator Michael Byrne, student Amanda Lawlor, and discipline head in small animal internal medicine Professor Benoit Cuq prepare Doyle for a donation. File picture

Michael Byrne runs a blood donor clinic like many others across the country, with just one notable difference — his patients are all animals.

The co-ordinator of the Blood Donor Clinic at UCD Veterinary Hospital faces some of the same challenges typical of mainstream services, as he battles against the clock to meet overwhelming demand.