pet connection

Lots of stories lately I’m just kicking myself for not doing. Which just means, of course, that I’ll wait a few months and revisit the subject matter!

Today’s is on dogs who are blood donors:

Animal blood banks are nothing new. But as pet ownership and people’s willingness to pay for critical pet care grow, so does the need for blood donors.

An estimated 13 commercial laboratories operate in the United States, collecting and selling animal blood to veterinarians.

[...]

Ohio State University focuses on dogs and cats and has collected for at least two decades. The university’s blood bank operates in a closetlike room at the campus veterinary clinic.

Here’s the whole piece, from the Columbus Dispatch.

One of my dogs had a career as a blood donor before I adopted him. Ben (who died in 2005, age 11, of cancer) lived at a veterinary hospital. His big healthy body and outstandingly sweet and willing disposition made him perfect for the work. I adopted him at the age 18 months, but  to the end of his days whenever he was approached for a blood draw he would raise his head to expose his neck and practically point out the vein with his paw.