The dog is suffering from suspected tick fever and life-threatening anaemia.
Renowned industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata recently took to Instagram to make a heartfelt appeal to the people of Mumbai to find a blood donor for an ailing dog. The Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group shared a picture of the seven-month-old dog who was admitted to his Small Animal Hospital in Mumbai. In his post, he explained that the medical staff at his animal hospital urgently needed blood for the dog suffering from suspected tick fever and life-threatening anaemia.
''I would really really appreciate your help. This 7-month-old dog at our animal hospital needs an urgent blood transfusion. He is admitted for a suspected tick fever and life-threatening anaemia. We urgently need a dog blood donor in Mumbai,'' he wrote while sharing details of the eligibility criteria for donor dogs.
Here's the post:
The post specified that the donor dog must be clinically healthy and between 1 to 8 years of age, and should weigh about 25 kg or more. The dog should also be fully vaccinated, dewormed and free from any major illnesses or tick infestations for at least the past six months.
Ratan Tata also shared the post on his stories with the caption, "Mumbai, I need your help."
Reacting to his post, several people came forward to offer help for the dog while many applauded Mr Tata's gesture. One user wrote, ''Have sent a text with a contact for a potential match.'' Another commented, ''Imagine a billionaire posting request posts for helping dogs.''
A third said, ''A legend who doesn't post for anything, posts for blood for a dog not even his own. If this isn't a golden lesson in humility what is?'' A fourth added, ''Hope that dog gets better and best treatment after all. God bless this dog. A big man with a big heart. Down to the earth.''
Mr Tata's fondness for dogs is well known, as he often posts pictures with his furry friends on Instagram, and regularly gives a shoutout for a dog up for adoption. He also has a story highlight on Instagram named after his late pet dog Tito. In addition, the global headquarters of Tata Group has a special kennel dedicated to stray dogs living around the area.
Recently, he opened the Small Animal Hospital, which he called his ''dream project.'' It is a first-of-its-kind animal hospital and spans over 98,000-square-foot, across 5 floors with a capacity of over 200 beds in Mumbai's Mahalaxmi. The hospital, run by Tata Trusts, offers top-notch healthcare services to animals in need. The team is led by Thomas Heathcote, a British veterinarian who relocated to Mumbai for this cause.