A CHESHIRE Dogs’ Home resident has been lauded as a hero by a Warrington family after he saved the life of their beloved pet.

Ivy, a four-year-old cocker spaniel became poorly in late December and was diagnosed with an auto-immune condition causing chronic and life-threatening anaemia.

This left her needing an urgent blood transfusion from a live canine donor on Christmas Eve.

Cheshire Dogs’ Home has a good working relationship with Beech House Vets, and dogs from the shelter are often blood donors there.

By sheer coincidence, once Ivy was recuperating, her owner Shelley was chatting to a neighbour’s daughter who works at the Dogs’ Home and who knew that Tucker, a greyhound, had been the dog giving blood there on Christmas Eve.

Shelley said: “Tucker saved Ivy’s life, there’s no doubt about it.

“The vets are amazed at how well she’s done, and I can’t thank Cheshire Dogs’ Home and Tucker enough.

“We’d love to meet Tucker one day to thank him in person – it was a Christmas miracle.”

Anna Stansfield, manager at Cheshire Dogs’ Home, said: “This is a wonderful story and we’re so glad that our beautiful boy Tucker was able to play his part in saving Ivy’s life.

To us, all dogs are special and Tucker is just one example of the many wonderful dogs that come through our doors.

“He was happily re-homed last week and we were able to tell his new family just what a special boy he is.”

Anyone interested in adopting a dog from Cheshire Dogs’ Home can visit the website www.dogshome.net.