Alissa Brickel’s Pacers4Pups Connects Pacemaker Donations to Dogs in Need of Cardiac Care
Alissa Brickel Headshot
Pacers4Pups Flyer
ARMONK, NY, UNITED STATES, April 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Alissa Brickel has never met an animal she hasn’t liked, and the feeling is mutual. Whether she’s volunteering at a dog rescue in Costa Rica, working with pets at local grooming shops, or mucking the stalls at Stamford Nature Center, much of her life has been shaped by her deep connection to animals and a passion for caring for them. But it was her nine-year-old dog, Wilson, that opened her eyes to an overlooked reality and something most people never know about.
When Wilson was diagnosed with a progressive heart murmur, Brickel began researching canine heart disease and the treatment options available. What she discovered revealed a reality where effective treatments exist, yet many never access them simply because they don’t know they’re an option. While pacemakers are one of the most effective treatments for dogs with certain heart conditions, the cost of new devices makes them inaccessible for many pet owners. However, human pacemakers with years of battery life remaining are routinely discarded due to regulations preventing reuse in humans.
That discovery led Brickel to launch Pacers4Pups, an initiative focused on raising awareness and building connections between cardiologists and veterinary cardiac clinics so that usable human pacemakers can be donated to dogs instead of being wasted. Through research and outreach, she’s now working to spread awareness by highlighting a solution that already exists, but remains largely unknown.
“I have always loved animals, but this showed me how much more can be done,” Brickel said. “It has been incredibly rewarding to share knowledge that even many veterinarians were not previously aware of. This experience has shown me how powerful awareness can be and how even small efforts can lead to meaningful change.”
Brickel began by researching canine heart disease, pacemaker treatments, and the donation process surrounding it, then reached out directly to veterinary clinics and cardiology practices that are capable of performing these procedures. She connected with veterinarians and specialists to better understand how donated devices can be safely refurbished and used in dogs, and created an Instagram platform to begin sharing information and educating the public.
Heart conditions are more common than many realize, affecting about 10% of all dogs and 75% of senior dogs. Pacemakers are among the most effective treatments, yet access remains a major challenge. Pacers4Pups addresses two critical gaps at once. It brings attention to the number of dogs who could benefit from pacemakers but go without treatment, and highlights the thousands of human devices that are discarded each year despite still having years of usable life. By connecting these two realities, her initiative offers a practical and life-saving solution.
Dr. Rick Germano of Armonk Veterinary Hospital emphasized the importance of this work, explaining that “As in humans, pacemakers are life-saving devices for canine patients, which are needed when the heart rate becomes too slow or irregular to maintain cardiac output. Affected dogs can become very lethargic, faint, and in severe cases die if their heart rates become too low. Traditionally, medical therapy can be tried to correct these rhythms, but it is rarely successful. Due to the high costs of pacemakers and their implantation, the majority of canine patients who could benefit from a pacemaker go without this life-saving therapy. Pacers4Pups represents the very best of compassion, innovation, and second chances. By giving new life to gently used human pacemakers, this organization is not only reducing medical waste but also making life-saving care accessible for dogs who would otherwise go without it.”
As awareness continues to grow, Brickel hopes to take the next step by building a formal donation pathway in the Northeast and strengthening partnerships between cardiology practices and veterinary clinics. She’s already helping connect individuals to existing donation programs, including resources through the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital, where qualifying pacemakers can be donated and repurposed for veterinary use. Brickel’s long-term goal is to make pacemaker donation a more recognized and accessible option for both patients and pet owners. To support Brickel and Pacers4Pups, please explore donation opportunities within your community and help raise awareness by sharing this life-saving work with others.
About Alissa Brickel
Alissa Brickel is a student at Byram Hills High School in Armonk, New York, where she is a member of the Math National Honor Society (Mu Alpha Theta) and plays goalie on her varsity soccer team. She is actively involved in her community through her hands on experience working with animals by shadowing a veterinarian at Armonk Veterinary Hospital and volunteering at The Cottage School, where she provides meals and engages in activities with children with developmental disabilities from underserved communities while helping foster a positive, inclusive environment. Brickel plans to continue exploring opportunities that combine her passion for helping others with her love for working with animals in college and throughout her future.
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