When a beloved dog or cat needs an emergency transfusion, there is no central blood bank to call. That is the stark reality for German veterinary practices—and the problem that a small Berlin nonprofit is now tackling head-on. More than 2,600 dogs and cats are now registered blood donors on Palou, a free Berlin non-profit platform that helps vets find a donor nearby.
BERLIN, GERMANY, November 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Palou, a free platform run by the Berlin non-profit Palou e.V., now lists 1,505 dogs and 1,107 cats as registered blood donors. That gives veterinary practices 2,612 animals to search when a patient needs a transfusion. Pet owners and practices use Palou free of charge.
Why every donor counts
Germany has no central blood bank for dogs and cats. Most practices keep their own list of donor animals and call them in when a patient needs blood. That can happen after a serious accident, during a large operation, with some cancers or after rat poisoning.
Supply is small. The Small Animal Clinic at Freie Universität Berlin opened Germany's first clinic blood bank for pets in 1997. It collects around 40 litres of donor blood a year.
Stored blood lasts only a few weeks. Cat blood is usually transfused fresh, so a cat in an emergency needs a donor cat close by.
At a glance
• None: central blood banks for dogs and cats in Germany
• About 40 litres: donor blood collected per year at the FU Berlin clinic blood bank
• 25.7 million: dogs (10.0 million) and cats (15.7 million) living in Germany in 2025, according to IVH/ZZF
Only a small share of these pets meet the donor criteria, and only some of those are registered anywhere. Palou makes registered donors findable for any nearby practice that searches the platform.
How Palou works
Palou runs in the browser at app.palou.app, so there is nothing to download. The donor search takes three steps on each side.
For pet owners
1. Create a free account and add your dog or cat with weight, date of birth, blood type (if known) and postcode.
2. Your pet appears anonymously on Palou's donor map, where nearby practices can find it.
3. When a practice needs blood, you get a request by e-mail or WhatsApp. You decide each time, and the donation takes place at the practice.
For veterinary practices
1. Register the practice for free with an address and a contact person.
2. Search by species, blood type, weight, age and radius.
3. Owners of matching animals are notified and get in touch with the practice directly.
Palou asks the closest matching owners first. With consent, it can also share an urgent appeal on its social media channels.
Who can donate
• Dogs: 1 to 8 years old, from about 20 kg, healthy and vaccinated
• Cats: 1 to 8 years old, from 4 kg, kept strictly indoors
Owners who are unsure can check whether their dog or cat can donate on the Palou website.
"Without a central blood bank, every registered donor near a practice counts. Owners have already signed up more than 2,600 dogs and cats. Now we want every practice that needs blood to be able to find them."
– Kirill (Founder), Palou e.V.
How to help
Owners and practices join for free, and supporters can help fund the association's work.
• Pet owners with a healthy dog or cat can register their pet for free at app.palou.app.
• Veterinary practices can sign up and start searching for donors at no cost.
• Supporters can become members of Palou e.V. for €15 a year or make a donation to the association.
About Palou e.V.
Palou e.V. is a non-profit association based in Berlin (register entry VR 41951 B). Its platform Palou connects owners of dogs and cats that can donate blood with veterinary practices that need a donor nearby. The platform was developed by Wheels & Wings Lab GmbH and is free for owners and practices.
The association is funded by membership fees, donations and grants. Palou won the Fressnapf Innovation Award 2024.
Kirill Rubinstein
Palou App
contact@palou.app
Visit us on social media:
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Why it matters: With 25.7 million dogs and cats in Germany and no central pet blood bank, Palou’s registry could mean the difference between life and death for thousands of animals. If enough owners and practices join, this grassroots network may become an essential piece of veterinary emergency care nationwide.
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