Gnocchi enjoys a cool splash during playtime at Pura Sanguine in Angleton, Texas. Photo courtesy Pura Sanguine Veterinary emergency clinics, critical care hospitals, and even general or referral practices across the U.S. are facing a persistent shortage of animal blood for transfusions. According to Veterinary Emergency Group and BluePearl, national chains of emergency pet hospitals and specialty hospitals, demand for pet blood donations in 2024 needed to triple over 2023 levels simply to keep pace.1 In early 2025, Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospital in North Carolina described the situation bluntly: “The supply is not keeping up with the demand,” despite more national blood banks being established.2 Across the U.S., veterinary technicians and emergency clinicians report regular cases where a transfusion could have saved a life, but available blood was not immediately on hand. Such shortages directly affect emergency care. Accidents, injuries, surgeries with unexpected bleeding, and complex oncology patients all rely on transfusable blood. Without a reliable supply, veterinarians are forced to delay care or, in the worst cases, decline potentially lifesaving interventions. Blood shortages also have a significant economic impact on veterinary medicine. Without blood, many advanced surgeries and procedures must be delayed or canceled. Traditional solutions have limits Across the country, veterinary blood donation facilities rely on pet owners bringing in their suitable dogs or cats to donate blood. While these facilities help to alleviate the problem, they also present a few limitations. Donations are irregular, especially during busy seasons, such as summer, holidays, and the back‑to‑school crunch, when owners are less likely to schedule to volunteer. Each donor must be tested for disease before each donation, and some are turned away for failing certain health parameters. Additionally, these facilities have very little control over when and how many donations are given. They rely on volunteerism on the part of the pet owner. While precise numbers of volunteer‑based banks are not centralized, several large regional networks operate dozens of collection sites. Still, demand outpaces supply significantly.1,3 In contrast, closed‑colony blood banks maintain donor animals in controlled facilities and draw blood donations over time from the same group of animals. This solves the volunteer inconsistency by housing their own donor dogs and cats, and it offers greater quality control, as donor animals are regularly monitored, vaccinated, and ideally housed in a biosecure environment designed to prevent introduction or transmission of disease. However, ethical handling and transparency are essential for trust in these models. An overlooked parallel crisis: Shelter overcrowding and euthanasia Another critical problem in animal health is the overcrowding of U.S. shelters, often leading to routine euthanasia. Post‑COVID financial hardship and rising veterinary costs have caused many families to surrender pets over the past few years. Data from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) show that in 2024, about 607,000 animals were euthanized in shelters nationwide, translating to euthanasia rates of around 8 percent, down from 13 percent in 2019, but still significant given that nearly 5.8 million dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues during the same year.4 It is not that rescue groups are unconcerned: Many shelters have “live release” programs and relocation networks to move animals from high- to low‑capacity regions.5 Yet overcrowding persists, especially in open admission shelters without the luxury of intake limits. Far too many healthy, adoptable animals are euthanized each year as a result. Solving two crises with one strategy What if these two problems–blood shortage and shelter overcrowding–could be addressed together? Such is the approach of one blood bank organization in Texas, Pura Sanguine Veterinary Blood Solutions. Here are some highlights about their program model: Pre‑euthanasia rescue. Dogs and cats headed for euthanasia due solely to space and limited resources at shelters are rescued—sometimes just hours before scheduled euthanasia. Medical rehabilitation. Each animal receives veterinary care and is tested to meet blood donation standards. If the dog or cat cannot donate blood for some reason, it is offered up for adoption. Socialization and behavior. Many of these animals have had traumatic early lives and may be unsuitable for human or same-species interactions. Over the course of their time at the facility, the animals are intentionally socialized in group settings with other canines, as well as humans, to help them adjust. Biosecure donor housing. Animals qualified to donate blood live in a controlled, biosecure facility where they are cared for, fed, vaccinated, and exercised daily, with protocols in place to monitor for any disease and ensure they remain healthy. They donate blood at safe intervals. Lifesaving circulation. Blood products are supplied to veterinary centers nationwide, helping meet emergency demands. Transparency. Closed colony blood banks should not operate in the dark. If the conditions for animals are unknown, people will assume the worst. Transparency over social media and other communication channels is crucial to help the public understand both emergencies and help the animals find loving homes. Adoption placement. After donation schedules are completed, the animals are placed for permanent adoption. This approach helps solve both problems by increasing reliable, high-quality blood supply for veterinary hospitals and saving dogs and cats from unnecessary euthanasia, giving them a second chance at life. The model shares beneficial aspects of closed‑colony blood systems (control, quality, consistency), while adding the significant animal-welfare advantage: rescued dogs and cats are cared for ethically and placed into homes. However, in order for this model to work, certain considerations must be met. Facilities must meet strict biosecurity protocols, including controlled access, routine testing for infectious agents, vaccination, sterilization, and isolation procedures, to maintain the health of the rescued animals. While donating blood at regular intervals, the rescued animals must be provided with enrichment opportunities and medical care, and after a set time period, they must be given adoption opportunities. In addition, full transparency and oversight, such as third‑party audits, accreditation, and published adoption metrics, are important to avoid any pitfalls or negligence. Espresso is enjoying sun and rest time at Pura Sanguine in Angleton, Texas. Photo courtesy Pura Sanguine A win‑win for veterinary care and animal welfare The shortage of veterinary blood products is real and growing. The overcrowding, over-intake, and euthanasia crisis in U.S. shelters is likewise stark. Thousands of healthy animals are lost each year due to a lack of space or resources. A combined model—where shelter animals are rescued and rehabilitated, safely used as donor animals in well-run, ethically governed facilities, and then adopted—offers a powerful solution. It provides a consistent supply of blood for critical veterinary care and gives rescued animals a second chance at life. When the veterinary community collaborates with shelters around this model, the most vulnerable animals become part of the solution. The result: fewer unsourced transfusion emergencies, fewer euthanized pets, and countless lives saved. Veterinary clinics function better, shelters feel relief, and animals and families win. Peter Koplos, DVM, practices as a veterinarian at El Paso Animal Emergency and Referral Center, an AAHA-accredited emergency hospital in El Paso, Texas. Dr. Koplos also puts his ideas into action as a partner with Pura Sanguine Veterinary Blood Solutions, a biosecure blood bank that cares for animal donors before they are adopted. References Scripps News. (2024, May 13). Just like with humans, there’s a blood supply shortage for pets. Scripps News. https://www.scrippsnews.com/science-and-tech/animals-and-insects/just-like-with-humans-there-s-a-blood-supply-shortage-for-pets WRAL. (2025, February 3). Pet blood shortage donations. WRAL. https://www.wral.com/lifestyle/health/pet-blood-shortage-donations-february-2025/ American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation (AKCCHF). (n.d.). Canine blood donation. AKC Canine Health Foundation. https://www.akcchf.org/disease-history/canine-blood-donation/ American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). (n.d.). U.S. animal shelter statistics. ASPCA. https://www.aspca.org/helping-shelters-people-pets/us-animal-shelter-statistics Kaur, H. (2022, January 31). The ASPCA has spent millions relocating dogs across the U.S.—but is it helping? Time. https://time.com/6144366/dog-adoption-relocation-aspca/
