BASIL the Brave as he has become known is a lurcher leading the way in a campaign helping to save the lives of dogs by donating blood.

He's already given ten pints over the last five years to help save canines whose lives were hanging in the balance often after car crashes or after undergoing urgent operations.

Proud owner Alice Jones is a veterinary nurse working in emergency and critical care at The Minster vets in York. They're helping to compile a list of potential donors from the region for the Pet Blood Bank to run donor sessions, along the lines of the human service, which has become a lifeline for dogs.

Alice said: "It is a completely safe procedure and dogs don’t seem to mind at all. We take the blood from the neck and put some anaesthetic on so they don’t feel anything. It only takes five minutes while they’re lying on their side.We rely on the Pet Blood Bank and it would also be useful to have a list of owners we could contact. I’ve witnessed first hand how it literally saves lives within minutes and none of my dogs have minded or suffered any after effects."