Did you know that dogs can be blood donors? There are many reasons why a dog might need a transfusion, and there are blood bank schemes in both the UK and the USA. Both the sites those links take you to have more information about whether your dog could be a suitable donor, and what the process involves.
Writer Shawndra Miller's Standard Poodle Marley has given blood, and she has blogged about their experience. Apparently many Greyhounds used to be kept in kennels as blood donors once their racing career was over. They were well suited to kennel life, and their placid nature was helpful.
It was only reletively recently it was discovered that dogs have different blood types. Dog blood types are more complicated than I can make sense of, but here's a Wikipedia article about the subject, and an interesting article from the UK Fire Service Urban Search and Rescue Dog Teams.
So if your dog is healthy, weighs over fifty pounds, is over the age of two and under eight, up to date with vaccinations, and you think they would deal with the procedure well, could your dog contribute to the survival of another dog? If your dog already does give blood, do let me know.
Take care,
Julie x