Here’s the first notice I’ll give you about the American Humane Association’s Hero Dog Awards.  Although the ceremony was held on October 1st, the telecast isn’t on until November 11, 2011 on the Hallmark Channel.  I know who the winner is (you’ll have to say that in your best “na-na-na-na-na-na!” voice), but I’m not telling.

Suffice it to say that all the finalists were winners, each in their own categories.  Each finalist earned $5,000 for one of the American Humane Association‘s charity partners, including The Pine Street Foundation, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Dogs for the Deaf, National Fire Dog Monument, U.S. War Dog Association, National Search Dog Alliance, Canine Companions for Independence, and Paws & Effect.

• Sadie (from Westminster, CO), the certified accelerant detection K-9 who works with the Major Crimes Unit of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation
• Zurich (Des Plaines, IL), the certified service dog who helps care for and enriches  the life of his sick partner
• Stacey Mae (Guffey, CO), the therapy dog who has helped collect thousands of teddy bears from around the world for sick children in hospitals
• Military Working Dog Bino (Las Cruces, NM), who has served as a Narcotics Detection/Patrol K9 for almost eleven years
• K9 Sage (Hagerman, NM), not only served at the Pentagon on 9/11 but continues  search and rescue work today
• Harley (Fountain Hills, AZ), the hearing dog who has given his owner self-confidence and a feeling of equality with others that she had not experienced before
• Ricochet (Escondido, CA), the dog who surfs with special needs kids and people with disabilities for therapeutic purposes.
• Roselle (New York, NY), a guide dog who saved her owner’s life during the terror attacks on 9/11/01.

You can read each of these dog’s stories on the Hero Dog Awards page, but ***SPOILER ALERT*** you’ll find out who won if you go there.

For those of you who like the suspense, I’ll publish another reminder closer to November 11th so you can set your DVR.

Until next time,

Good day, and good dog!