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The American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards is a program that honors and salutes “hero” dogs. State Farm Insurance has joined forces with the association for the event, sponsoring the category “Law Enforcement and Arson Dog”.
Started by the American Humane Association for giving recognition to canines, the Hero Dog Awards is broadcast on Hallmark Channel, and presented by the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation. Their main goal is to search all across America and find those dogs who have performed extraordinary acts of heroism and set themselves apart as good canine examples.
Arson-related fires have been causing havoc and taking many lives, and this is why arson dogs have been created. It was State Farm that first proposed and provided funds for these arson dogs, whose primary task is to detect the source of fires. Over the past 20 years, the program has placed more than 250 dogs in the U.S. and Canada.
The bonds between dogs and humans are definitely exemplified and made stronger through these programs. Dogs and their masters become more enthusiastic about doing good deeds, whether they are simple everyday tasks or extremely dangerous ones. Also, it goes to show that like people, dogs can fulfill a purpose too. They can save lives and protect people, both the young and the old.
Last year, an arson dog named Sadie won under the category of Law Enforcement and Arson Dog. Sadie and Jerry Means, her owner and trainer, came from the State Farm Arson Dog Program, which, of course, made State Farm very proud. And this is probably one of the primary reasons why State Farm has joined forces with the American Humane Association in helping to sponsor this event to recognize dogs who live heroic lives.
In the Hero Dog Awards, there are eight categories for participants and enthusiasts to vote in:
- Service Dogs
- Guide Dogs
- Military Dogs
- Law Enforcement and Arson Dogs
- Therapy Dogs
- Hearing Dogs
- Search and Rescue Dogs
- Emerging Hero Dogs (ordinary dogs)
The finalists will be chosen by the voters and each dog who wins in a category will get to fly to Hollywood with two people. They will get red carpet treatment on their way to the gala of the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards, to be held on October 6, 2012 at Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, California. Along with the live broadcast by Hallmark Channel, each of the dogs will also get a video tribute.
For those who want to nominate their favorite dog, head to the show’s website (below) before March 26, 2012. And for those who want to vote for the best dog, public voting officially starts on April 1, 2012. Don’t miss this opportunity – go to www.herodogawards.org right now and nominate your favorite hero dog to get the top honors!
summer stanifer
Jun 7, 2012 at 10:32 am
my 10 year old golden retriever, dawdy, is our hero. the people that live across the road from my cousins house always let their dogs run loose, my dog is too, but she stays at home. well one day, my cousins, caitlin and cameron were playing in their yard with louie, their toy poodle when the dog ran at them. caitlin is 7 and cameron is 3, they started running for their father, the dog about bit camerons head and caitlins leg. the dad couldn’t get to them, the dog raced after them, louie ran at the dog, but the dad yelled for him. the kids screamed for dawdy, who at the time was inside my grandmothers home. dawdy heard them and pushed out the door. dawdy came across the field and tackled the mutt “get em’ dawdy!” cried the childrens mom and the kids joined in. i came outside to see what happened, they didn’t need to tell me, the second i saw dawdy coming back, i knew what had happened. dawdy has done this many other times, to pit bulls, huskys and s=mastiffs, but she does it to protect her family. she even attacked a pit bull when he tried to attack my best friend. dawdy is our hero, and we all know she would lay her life down for us.