Hero Dog Awards® – American Humane Society

Keeping our communities safe from crime, drugs, disease and arson.

This category largely includes dogs that are critical to first responders, protecting the public, and finding missing and disaster victims.

• Law enforcement dogs’ ability to protect their human handlers, thwart lawbreakers, and find evidence make them true partners for first responders.
• Scent detection dogs can accurately detect a variety of targets, including many diseases and the correct identification of plants and animals, as well as illegal substances, drugs, fire accelerants, firearms or explosives. are used for detection.
• Search and rescue dogs are trained to find the missing, from people lost in the desert or city to victims of accidents and natural disasters.

Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). They may be trained to work with people with physical mobility needs or limitations or with medical conditions that require alertness. They may also act as “eyes and ears” for the blind and/or deaf or perform tasks such as those with psychological disabilities such as post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury. These specially trained dogs can even help by retrieving or manipulating objects that are beyond the reach of their person, alerting passersby and getting help for their handler, distractions and obstacles. avoiding, and many other individual tasks that a person with a disability needs. These heroes not only improve the lives of the people they work with, but also keep them safe every day.

Deserving therapy dogs help those in need.

Certified Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) dogs are a part of the therapeutic approach to help with physical, social, emotional and cognitive challenges for people other than the dog’s owner/handler. AAT has been shown to help enhance the lives of people in need, such as children who have experienced abuse or neglect, chemotherapy or other difficult medical treatments, and military veterans and their families who have experienced war. are struggling to cope with the effects of military service during . Studies have shown that AAT lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and increases the patient’s ability to achieve physical and psychological well-being.

Helping to keep our troops safe at home and abroad.

Military working dogs first entered service in 1942 to serve in the Army’s K-9 Corps. Today, these dogs still play an active role in detecting explosives and seizing enemies. Military working dogs have been used by the US Armed Forces since World War II. In World War II, 436 scout dogs went on combat patrols overseas, often finding the enemy at a thousand yards, long before the enemy was aware of them. Dogs served with distinction in other conflicts, such as Korea, where the military used about 1,500 dogs primarily for guard duty. During the Vietnam War, approximately 4,000 dogs were employed and, officially, 281 were killed in action. Today’s conflicts involve dogs at all levels, who are still serving our country, helping to protect our troops.

Ordinary dogs who beat the odds and do extraordinary things after recovery.

Just as our understanding of animal behavior and science is ever-expanding, so are the amazing stories of the human-animal bond. Dogs in this category can be nominated for acts of bravery, big or small. to overcome difficult difficulties; Or a remarkable rescue story like the millions of homeless dogs in shelters, on the streets, or in need of help from inappropriate situations. Whether it was a second chance and a new lease on life or just a perfect fit that was meant to be, these dogs highlight what it means to be man’s best friend.