“Hero Shelter Dog Rescues Injured Pup Through Lifesaving Blood Donation, Then Finds a Forever Home”

Animal shelters do their best to save the lives of as many animals as possible, and in one puppy’s case in Columbia, Tenn., it all came down to shelter dog Rockie.

His blood donation saved the life of a young dog who was suffering immensely. The bonus? Rockie soon found a loving family to call his own.

When a 1-year-old pup named Ice came into Maury County Animal Service‘s (MCAS) care in dire condition back in July, the staff knew only a generous donation from another dog could save him.

“It was a cruelty case—the dog was being eaten alive by fleas,” Kim Raffauf, volunteer coordinator at MCAS, tells Daily Paws.

Ice’s blood cells and iron were severely depleted. He needed some serious help if he was going to make it. Only a blood transfusion would work, Raffaf says, and they knew the perfect pup to help.

It was Rockie, the 2-year-old American bulldog mix and an “adorable chonk,” according to his adoption page.

“Rockie was picked because he has a great temperament and we can work with him safely,” Raffauf says. “Plus he’s a little on the ‘healthy’ side, so he made a good candidate to donate blood.”

Blood transfusions are similar for dogs and humans: If the dog meets the physical, age, health (no blood-borne illnesses), and temperament requirements to donate blood, they’re greenlit to donate. The whole process of donation typically takes less than an hour, and in Rockie’s case, he made the most of his time.

Thanks to Rockie, Ice is already enjoying his second chance at life. “Ice is doing fantastic! He’s fully recovered,” Raffauf says. He’s not up for adoption yet because of the ongoing investigation into how he was found.

Sweet Rockie’s efforts were so appreciated that the shelter even awarded him with a medal. As the end of August approached, the shelter’s big, sweet “ham bone” was approaching 200 days in the shelter.

“I just can’t fathom why he’s had to wait so long,” Raffauf says. “Six months is a long time, but he’s happy 24/7. He always has a smile on his face, and he has an endless love for people.”

Thankfully, that wait ended this past weekend. After 198 days at MCAS, Rockie—now Kevin—joined his forever family, the Johnsons. That sweet smile, bright eyes, and pretty brown and white coat finally has a loving home.