Witchcraft 101: The Sacrifice
Let's face it, pagans and witches get a pretty bad rap when public image comes up. Sacrifices especially are a choice topic, with tales of children being snatched up to be sacrificed to a dark master, or screaming blonde virgins dying for their pure blood. Reality is far less sensational.
A sacrifice in a spell does not mean that a small animal must die, because, well, that whole idea doesn't make actual logical sense. A sacrifice, by definition, means the practitioner must give something up of value to them. Most commonly this is blood, given up by the practitioner, or even hair/ nail clippings. Blood is highly representative of the life force, as well as being highly valued by the practitioner as our lives literally depend upon it. It is also relatively easy to acquire, and the small amount of pain during the acquisition adds to the sacrifice element. Combining blood to your spell work adds a little of yourself to it, and binds a lot of energy too.
Menstrual blood is often the go to for menstruating witches also, as it is easily obtained on a regular basis without the need for cutting or pricking the skin.
But what of the virgins?
Virgin blood is often used in the sensationalised view of the witch, taking blood from a nubile youth to fuel their dark workings. Obviously the connection of purity and virginity tends to come from Judeo-Christian beliefs, and somewhere along the lines this got tied up with witchcraft. In reality, virgin blood simply refers to blood freshly obtained, direct from the source. It is virtuous because it is untouched, not having been mixed with any other element. This differs slightly from menstrual blood as the menstrual blood tends to have other contaminating elements and is less fresh.
So please, leave the animals be, and always remember to procure your blood safely. Always use clean and sterile cutting implements and cut a fleshy area. Never cut the palm of the hand. There are too many nerves and tendons running through there that when cut, may result in the loss of use for that hand. I prefer my pinkie tip, especially given that you need very little blood to make a sacrifice.