Therapy Dog Recognized as National Service Canine of the Year
PEDIGREE(R) 'Paws to Recognize'(TM) Program Spotlights the Contributions of the Country's Thousands of Working Dogs
ALBANY, Ga., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than 70,000 votes cast this year, the 2006 winner in the Paws to Recognize program answers to a name that's certainly apropos: Hero, a Labrador Retriever and former shelter animal from Albany, Georgia, who serves as a therapy dog for the Delta Society, took home top honors in the national contest that pays homage to the country's more than 15,000 thousand service dogs.
Because of their love of dogs, PEDIGREE(R) Food for Dogs created the Paws to Recognize program, with support from Wal-Mart, to shine a spotlight on the working dogs that lend helping hands and perform acts of heroism on a daily basis. Five exceptional nominees were identified and featured on http://pedigree.com/ , with the decision left up to the public to cast a vote for their favorite. Voting was open from April - mid-July and once tallied, it was clear that Hero came out on top.
"As the brand that loves dogs, we are proud to honor this year's Paws to Recognize Canine of the Year, Hero, as well as all of our outstanding canine nominees," said Rob Liebowitz, Marketing Director, Dog Portfolio, Masterfoods USA, the makers of PEDIGREE Food for Dogs. "Service dogs are unsung heroes, helping to enrich the lives of people and entire communities each day. This program is dedicated to showcasing the heroic jobs these service dogs do each and every day as a way to thank them for their contributions."
Hero captured the hearts of the voting public because of the work he performs as a therapy dog. As part of the Paws Patrol, a program associated with the Delta Society Pet Partners, he makes regular visits to patients at hospitals, hospices, nursing homes and other health facilities. His loving and caring disposition was the inspiration for "Project Hero," a program that provides young people living in a youth detention center the opportunity to care for, train and socialize homeless pets to make them better adoption candidates.
It Was an Honor Just to be Nominated ...
In addition to Hero, PEDIGREE partnered with four other leading, national organizations to identify the program's outstanding nominees, including Guide Dogs for the Blind, National Association for Search and Rescue, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. War Dogs Association. Additionally, in a continuing effort by PEDIGREE to shed light on the plight of shelter dogs, several of this year's nominees had humble beginnings as former shelter animals that have gone forward to do truly amazing things.
And the nominees were:
-- Quanto: This hard-working German Shepherd serves the Cocke County,
Tennessee Sheriff's Department as a highly-trained search and rescue
dog.
-- Rocky: Rocky is a four-year-old chocolate Labrador mix that was
rescued by Lake Erie Labrador Retriever Rescue and protects American
citizens by serving as an explosive detector dog at the Port of Los
Angeles.
-- Xena: A five-year-old German Shepherd with a heart of gold, Xena was
adopted by the Guide Dogs for the Blind, and is up at dawn each day
with her partner, who runs a busy physical therapy practice.
-- Polo: This German Shepherd recently returned from a tour of duty in
Kuwait, where he served as an Explosive Detection/Patrol Dog, searching
vehicles, buildings, aircraft, barracks and open areas for dangerous
and harmful explosive materials.
In recognition of Hero's achievement he will be honored, alongside his handler, at a small ceremony in his hometown on October 17, while each of the other nominees will receive a commemorative medal to signify their participation in the program.
For additional information on the PEDIGREE Paws to Recognize program, as well as tips for keeping your dog healthy and happy, log on to http://pedigree.com/ .
About PEDIGREE
PEDIGREE is the number one brand of dog food in the world, offering a wide variety of products for different dog life stages. As an innovative market leader, PEDIGREE is at the forefront of pet nutrition and understands pet owner needs by providing a range of innovative products and resources.
About MASTERFOODS USA
Masterfoods USA, the United States food, snack and pet care operations of Mars, Incorporated, is one of the world's leading food manufacturers. The combined food, snack and pet care segments are a symbol of excellence for quality brands with more than $5 billion in annual sales. Headquartered in Hackettstown, NJ, Masterfoods USA employs more than 7,000 associates in the United States, with 14 manufacturing facilities nationwide. The company owns some of the world's favorite brands, including M&M'S(R) Brand, SNICKERS(R) Brand, UNCLE BEN'S(R) Brand, PEDIGREE(R) Brand Food For Dogs and WHISKAS(R) Brand Food For Cats.
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