Dogs are incredibly loyal animals that can always be relied on to help people in need.
We’ve seen many stories of dogs saving lives, from rescuing people from drowning to warding off dangerous animals and finding missing children.
But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and one dog has saved the lives of dozens of dogs – all by donating blood.
Woodie the greyhound has made 22 donations to the Pet Blood Bank in the past six years, totaling 10,000 ml of blood – which has been used to save 88 dogs, according to The Mirror.
Greyhounds are ideal blood donors for dogs, as they are most likely to have blood type negative, making them “universal donors” that can be given to any dog in need. Only 30% of dogs have this blood type.
Woodie has always been happy to spare some of his rare blood to help his fellow dogs.
“Woodie just runs in; he’s very happy to give blood,” Woodie’s owner Wendy Gray told The Mirror. “He never shows any signs of stress and then bounces back out – even though he has all four of his legs drained of blood.”
She says that Woodie and her other dogs undergo a “full health check” and meet donation criteria.
Pet Blood Bank UK has praised Woodie as a “superstar” for making so many donations, and his owner is happy that her greyhound has made such a difference.
“To know that he’s helped families in desperate situations… it’s amazing,” she told the BBC. “I’m just so proud of him. He takes it all in his stride.”
Woodie’s contributions to the blood bank are important, not only because he is a rare donor type, but because so few people even know that blood donation by dogs exists.
But, just like people, dogs sometimes need blood in emergencies, and donors help save lives.
“I think it’s fantastic that we can do it. People do it for people, why not dogs for dogs?” Wendy said.
“People are always amazed to hear that dogs need blood banks too,” she told The Mirror.
“I always post on social media after we’ve been to the bank, and after 22 times, it still gets people saying ‘I didn’t know that existed’.”
“Owners are always so grateful. I haven’t met that many, but every now and then they get in touch and say things like ‘my dog wouldn’t be here without this’.”
Woodie started donating blood when he was three years old, and has been giving blood for the past six years. But now at 9, he is considered too old to be a healthy donor, and he is “retired.”
However, everyone will remember this “superstar” and the lives he has saved.
“Woodie has been an absolutely outstanding donor,” Nicole Osborne of the Pet Blood Bank told the BBC.
“Blood is really vital for our pets, just like for people, and the number of donations Woodie has made will have had a huge impact on the lives of other dogs across the country.
“We’re so proud that he’s been a donor for us, he really is a superstar.”
What an amazing dog. Thank you, Woodie, for saving so many dogs over the years.
Let’s pay tribute to this hero dog by sharing this story!
