California Senate Votes To Allow Voluntary Pet Blood Donors

SACRAMENTO (AP) - The California Senate has voted to let pet owners volunteer their animals to donate blood.

Currently, California only allows pet blood transfusions from blood banks that only accept blood from animals that are kept on site for that purpose to avoid diseases.

Animal rights groups say holding animals captive solely for their blood is wrong. Senators approved a bill, 37-0, on Tuesday that would allow pet owners to volunteer their animals to donate blood.

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The bill would require the process to be overseen by a licensed veterinarian and force all donations from dogs and cats to be tested for blood-borne pathogens. It would also force commercial blood banks to comply with the state's open records law.

The bill now heads to the Assembly.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press.