If you know a courageous canine who has heroically helped someone in need, then The Humane Society of the United States wants you to nominate him or her for the first annual Dogs of Valor Awards. You don't have to personally know the dog as long as you can tell the story!
The HSUS established the Dogs of Valor Awards to honor dogs who have exhibited an extraordinary sense of courage by heroically helping a person in need. To celebrate these animals, The HSUS is accepting nominations in two categories: companion dogs and working dogs.
"The Humane Society of the United States celebrates the enormous joy and richness that dogs bring to our lives," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "There are also times when dogs exhibit heroic acts of courage and even save our lives, and the Dogs of Valor Awards honor those canines who exhibit some rather remarkable acts of altruism and self-sacrifice."
Nominations should be submitted at humanesociety.org/dogsofvalor and will be accepted from both dog guardians and non-guardians. Deadline for entries is Friday, May 30 at 5 p.m. EDT. Winners will be chosen by a panel of celebrity judges including Martina Navratilova, Candy Spelling and Tamar Geller.
One grand prize winner and three finalists will be chosen in each category. Winners will receive an original sterling silver dog tag by designer Kate Dwyer, founder/owner of California-based Bella Tocca Tags (bellatoccatags.com). In addition, grand prize winners will receive a $250 shopping spree at Humane Domain, The HSUS's official online store, a copy of Tamar Geller's DVD learning series "Celebrate Your Dog! The Loved Way of Training" and her book "The Loved Dog: The Playful, Nonaggressive Way to Teach Your Dog Good Behavior" (tamargeller.com).
Questions about the nomination process and the Awards can be sent to: dogsofvalor@humanesociety.org.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
