The American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™ are an annual, national competition that searches out and recognizes America’s Hero Dogs – often ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things, whether it’s saving lives on the battlefield, lending sight or hearing to a human companion, or simply providing the tail-wagging welcome a pet owner relishes at the end of a hard day.
Dogs compete in eight categories for the Hero Dog Awards: Law Enforcement Dogs, Arson Dogs, Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Military Dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs, Guide and Hearing Dogs, and Emerging Hero Dogs (the category for “ordinary” dogs who do extraordinary things). The Hero Dog Awards celebrate the powerful, age-old bond between dogs and people – and give recognition to courageous acts of heroism performed by our four-legged best friends.
After more than one and a half million votes by the American public nationwide, winners in each category are flown to Hollywood with their human friends to attend the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards gala in Los Angeles. There they walk the red carpet, are recognized in video tributes, receive their Hero Dog category award and are in the running to become the year’s top American Hero Dog! Also, American Humane Association will donate $2,500 to the charity partner of the finalist in each category, and an additional $5,000 will be donated to the charity partner of the 2015 American Hero Dog.
