‘From Homeless to Hero’: Nearly Euthanized Dog Who Donated Life-Saving Blood Gets Adopted

A special dog in East Texas, who helped saved the lives of other canines, now has a special place to call her own.

Not long ago, a golden-haired dog named Ivy was in danger of being euthanized if no one stepped up to offer her a permanent home, CBS 19 reported Monday.

In a social media post on Sunday, the Saving Animals from Euthanasia in Texas group shared images of pups, including Ivy, who it said were not safe and could be put down at any time.

“Please choose JUST one dog here to help us network. They desperately need your help!” the group explained:

Group volunteer Pear Wittholt told CBS 19 Ivy is a “hero dog” who has previously donated blood to save the lives of her fellow canines when they were in need.

The American Kennel Club’s Canine Health Foundation reported in 2011 there was an increase in the demand for dog blood transfusions.

“Canine blood banks, much like human blood banks, rely on the generous donations of volunteers who meet blood donation requirements,” the foundation’s article said.

According to PetMeds, a good canine candidate for blood donation is one who is calm and friendly.

Meanwhile, Ivy’s story took a drastic turn after Wittholt reached out to CBS 19 to highlight the sweet pup who was in desperate need of rescue.

“Thanks to the publicity from Ivy’s story, the 18-month-old terrier mix has now been adopted!” the outlet said Monday.

The group previously noted that Ivy was an approved blood donor who went “from a homeless pet to a hero.”

Now, there are three additional “hero dogs” at the Smith County Animal Shelter who would love to be adopted, and anyone who wants to meet them can visit the shelter at 322 E. Ferguson Street in Tyler, Texas.

Potential adopters may also view available dogs on the shelter’s Facebook page which says its mission is to “reduce the population of homeless and needy animals within Smith County.”