Dog saved by firefighter in SC in the running to win America’s Highest Canine Honor
By Alexx Altman-Devilbiss (WPDE)
LADSON, S.C. (WPDE) — Twenty-one heroic dogs from across the United States are in the running to win America’s Highest Canine Honor.
Jake from South Carolina is one of those special dogs and was chosen to advance from a field of nearly 400 candidates.
The American Humane Hero Dog Awards is an annual, nationwide competition that searches for and recognizes America’s Hero Dogs who are often ordinary dogs doing extraordinary things.
According to his owner who is a firefighter, Jake became a special dog at only three weeks old when he was rescued from a burning shed and survived conditions that most living beings could not.
Over 75% of his body was burned as well as his four paws and when his owner learned his original family abandoned him at the vet’s office he saved him and started bringing him to work at the fire station while he recovered.
Everyone fell in love with Jake and he was sworn in as an Honorary Firefighter and the station’s official mascot.
“Jake went to the schools with us during fire prevention week to help us spread the word. Jake rode on the trucks with us to calls and lounged around the station and awaited our return. Jake spent almost three years being a great ambassador for his breed and bringing joy to those he met,” his owner said. “Jake has since retired from going to the station and riding on the trucks, but he still advocates for the “Bully Breed.”
He said Jake is proof that just because you had a rough beginning or have scars does not mean you are bad or damaged.
“Jake has taken everything that life could throw at him and has handled it with ease, broken barriers and brought light to his breed and just how loving and loyal his breed is. This is why I feel Jake deserves to be the next American Hero Dog.”
The second round of voting is now open to the public to establish the seven finalists.
People can visit Hero Dog Awards between now and July 22 to vote once per day in each of the seven Hero Dog categories.
After voting concludes, the top winner in each category will be honored at the American Humane Hero Dog Awards gala in Palm Beach on November 11, and one special canine will be honored as this year’s American Hero Dog.
