Our first donor clinic took place in December of 1996, in Winnipeg, as the Manitoba Animal Blood Bank. The original mandate was to supply blood products to Manitoba veterinarians and provide education to animal health technology students. Before long, it became apparent that the need and desire for blood products extended across the country.

In 1998, our name was changed to the Canadian Animal Blood Bank to reflect the extension of our services to any veterinary clinic in Canada. Blood product usage continued to increase over the years and soon a second permanent blood collection site was needed.

In the spring of 2001, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton joined us in our mission to provide high-quality blood products nationally.

With the outpouring of love and support from Manitoba’s furry heroes, we couldn’t help but think dogs from other provinces would like to help too. It’s in their blood! In 2016, we began our expansion into the southern Ontario region.

In 2017, we began our partnership with the University of Montreal Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Veterinaire. This strong relationship has continued to thrive and we are grateful to have the University of Montreal’s Dr. Marie Claude Blais as a member of our Board of Directors.

The Canadian Animal Blood Bank Foundation was established in 2019. The CABB Foundation’s main focus is to raise awareness and funds in support of CABB.

Like many organizations, the Canadian Animal Blood Bank was hit hard by the 2020 pandemic. Veterinary clinics were at capacity and access to donor clinic locations was limited. During this time, the demand for blood products increased exponentially. In 2020 we decided to expand our operations in Edmonton, Red Deer, Whitby, Niagara, and Ottawa to help us meet national demand.

We are now operating in 5 provinces across Canada (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Alberta) and are partnered with several educational institutions, including the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Red River College Polytechnic, and the University of Montreal (CHUV).

We have more than 850 active canine donors across Canada (over 2000 donors past and present) and that number keeps growing. We have relationships with local veterinary clinics across Canada to act as CABB Depots. Depot locations house transfusion products and act as CABB distribution centers for the surrounding communities. They exist to help local veterinary clinics meet the emergent needs of their patients.