The American Humane Association has been a driving force behind the animal welfare campaign since 1877 and this November, they'll continue their work by hosting their first ever Hero Dog Awards. The contest is being held to "serve as a catalyst to further advance society's understanding of the power of the human-animal bond."
453 working dogs from a variety of fields were nominated, and the voting is now open for the 8 finalists. The winner will recieve a $10,000 donation to the charity of their choice. The finalists include:
- Sadie- An arson dog with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Sadie, a black lab, is trained to sniff out chemicals that could be used to start a fire. At just 5 years old, she has used her nose to investigate over 400 fires and has never lost a case. Sadie's charity is the National Fire Dog Monument.
- Harley- A hearing dog, this Australian Shepherd changed the life of his owner when they were paired. Having lived with severe hearing impairment for 52 years, Harley opened up a whole new world to his new human partner. Harley's charity is Dogs for the Deaf.
- Sage- This 12 year old disaster and human remains specialist has been busier in her short life than most people. After doing search work following 9/11, hurricane Katrina and even in Iraq, Sage was diagnosed with 2 rare types of lung cancer. Unable to continue her search work, she now works as a therapy dog at children's cancer camps and was the inspiration for The Sage Foundation for Dogs Who Serve. Her charity is the National Search Dog Alliance.
- Bino- While this 12 year old Belgian Shepherd may be retired from his Military Working Dog career, he's still active in the military community. After working as a narcotics detection and patrol K9 for 11 years, he now helps train PTSD dogs and their handlers. His charity is The United States War Dog Association.
- Roselle- Chances are good that you've already heard Roselle's story. This guide dog may live in sunny California now, but on September 11, 2001, she was on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center's Tower. After the tower was hit, Roselle lead her blind handler, as well as many of his coworkers, down almost 1500 stairs, down the street and into a safe, underground subway station. Her charity is Guide Dogs for the Blind.
- Stacey Mae- This 4 year old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog started visiting nursing homes 2 years ago and inspired her owner to provide something that the residents could snuggle in between visits. Her owner started the Teddy Bear Project and, along with Stacey Mae has collected thousands of bears and passed them out to nursing homes and hospitals. Her charity is the American Veterinary Medical Association.
- Ricochet- This dog is the only dog that has been trained to surf, that's right, surf, with people with disabilities and children with a variety of special needs. His talents have gotten him attention from a variety of charities and he has given back to those charities by raising thousands of dollars on their behalf. His charity this time around is the Pine Street Foundation's Canine Cancer Scent Detection program.
- Zurich- This lab is a service companion for a woman who's doctor's told her she didn't have long to live-six years ago. Since then, Zurich has become her constant partner, picking up dropped objects and retrieving things like the remote control. His charity is the organization that trained him, Canine Companions for Independence.
Take some time to read these amazing dogs' stories and send in your vote, then tune in to the Hallmark Channel on November 11 for the award ceremony.
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