SAMPSON THE SERVICE DOG, BO THE POLICE K9 AMONG 5 FINALISTS FOR HERO DOG AWARDS 2024

The finalists for the American Humane Hero Dog Awards are pretty incredible. They’ve found missing children, saved lives, solved crimes and were some of the goodest boys and girls in the country.

Meet America’s most heroic dogs, who are capturing hearts, wagging tails, and occasionally saving lives.

Penny, Bo, Nikki, Sampson, and Dayo have been announced as the finalists for the annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards in their respective categories, exclusively revealed by American Humane to USA TODAY. Each winner in the five categories was selected from a group of five nominees. These top five will now compete for the title of 2024 American Humane Hero Dog, which will be determined by a blue-ribbon judging panel.

“While five brave canines will be showcased, only one will receive the title of American Hero Dog,” says American Humane.

The winners in each category will be celebrated at the American Humane Hero Dog Awards Gala in Palm Beach, Florida, this winter, where the “canine stars will strut, zoom, and sniff their way down the red carpet,” according to the American Humane Society.

What are the American Humane Hero Dog Awards?

The American Humane Hero Dog Awards is an annual nationwide competition that honors “America’s standout dogs.” These are often ordinary dogs that perform extraordinary feats, whether it’s saving lives on the battlefield, providing assistance with sight or hearing to their human companions, or helping individuals achieve their goals, as stated on the American Humane website.

Hundreds of inspiring dogs were nominated from across the country for the 14th edition of the competition, which began earlier this June. Five semi-finalists in each of the five categories were shortlisted to “meet the American public,” who then voted for their favorite four-legged heroes across five different categories, including:

• Law Enforcement and First Responder Dogs
• Service and Guide or Hearing Dogs
• Therapy Dogs
• Military Dogs
• Emerging Hero and Shelter Dogs

“This is one of the most special and inspiring groups we’ve seen,” said Robin Ganzert, president of American Humane, in an exclusive statement to USA TODAY. “Each of these courageous canines embodies the resilience, selflessness, and unconditional love that we seek in America’s next top dog.

“We are proud to highlight these unsung heroes who are often overlooked,” he added.

Here’s an exclusive first look at the top five finalists for the 2024 American Humane Hero Dog Awards.

Dayo

• Age: 9
• Breed: Rhodesian Ridgeback (male)
• Handler: Liz Stewart
• Location: Dublin, California
• Hero Dog Awards Category: Therapy Dogs

Dayo, which means “joy arrives” in Afrikaans, was initially the puppy companion to a baby cheetah named Pancake at the Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. After Pancake passed away in 2018 due to health complications, Dayo found a new home with Liz, who quickly realized his emotional intelligence and lovable personality would make him a perfect therapy animal. Liz and Dayo trained together to become a certified therapy dog team and two now comfort and bring joy to children struggling with illness and loss.

Niki

• Age: 5
• Breed: Belgian Malinois-German shepherd mix
• Handler: Petty Officer Alicia Horn
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Hero Dog Awards Category: Military Dogs

Niki serves as an explosives-detection dog with the U.S. Coast Guard, alongside her human partner Petty Officer Alicia Horn. To date, Niki has completed over “250 high-stakes operations and logged more than 4,000 working hours protecting the American public,” and has been involved in the security of major events including the Rose Bowl, the Seattle Seafair Festival, and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, according to American Humane.

Niki secures the Washington State Ferries and other vital maritime infrastructure and has conducted 25,000 vehicle sweeps. During one of her missions Niki detected a firearm that aided in the conviction of a dangerous felon who had been on the run for two years, American Humane said.

When she’s not guarding the country, Niki makes educational visits to schools and serves as an ambassador for military dogs and their handlers.

Sampson

• Age: 11
• Breed: Golden retriever (male)
• Owner: Joey Ramp-Adams, neuroscientist and inclusion advocate
• Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona
• Hero Dog Awards Category: Service Dogs

Nicknamed the “Science Service Dog,” Sampson spent his life assisting his handler Joey Ramp-Adams, who was left with a traumatic brain injury and 23 broken bones after an accident in 2006. Sampson helped Ramp-Adams recover from the accident, learning over 245 commands to help her manage her brain injury and mobility issues. Sampson’s abilities include calming down Ramp-Adams when she is stressed and fetching her medicines from the cabinet along with a bottle of water when she needs them.

After her accident, Ramp-Adams pursued a degree in neuroscience to assist those recovering from traumatic brain injuries. She faced challenges bringing Sampson into clinical settings and science labs due to concerns about contamination. However, Ramp-Adams advocated for Sampson’s presence, and the pair now “advocates for other service dog handlers in science,” according to American Humane.

The two also educated lawmakers in the Congress on removing barriers for others like them.

Ramp-Adams recently retired Sampson due to old age, so he can “spend his golden years officially off duty.”

Penny

• Age: Approx. 4
• Breed: Mixed breed (female)
• Owner: Lindsey Peetz, high school teacher
• Location: Louisville, Kentucky
• Hero Dog Awards Category: Shelter Dogs

Penny, a “super mutt” mix of half a dozen breeds, was rescued in 2020 after she was thrown out of a moving car and left on the side of the road. Her medical examination revealed signs of long-term abuse and physical damages. However, Penny did not let her scars weigh her down and despite her grim prognosis and numerous surgeries, including a leg amputation, Penny made full recovery and found her forever home with two high-school teachers, who decided to foster her “after falling in love at first sight.”

The Peetz family was thrilled to adopt the three-legged dog despite her medical issues, which also required her to be carried in a backpack or stroller for over a year as she relearned how to walk.

“Penny has courageously moved past her history of abuse, displaying no signs of physical or emotional trauma,” said American Humane, noting that her family describes her as a “trusting, loving, and gentle dog who wants to be everyone’s friend.”

Now serving as a therapy dog for children of all ages, Penny inspires and teaches them to treat animals with compassion while also advocating for stricter animal abuse laws. She frequently visits the state capitol with her owner, Lindsey, to lobby lawmakers in Kentucky.

Bo

• Age: 18 months
• Breed: Bloodhound (male)
• Handler: Gastonia Police Department Sergeant David Rowland
• Location: Gastonia, North Carolina
• Hero Dog Awards Category: Law Enforcement & First Response

K-9 Bo is the first bloodhound to join the Gastonia Police Department in North Carolina. He began his law enforcement career in 2023 after being hand-picked from a litter of puppies, and he has been on the job since he was just 8 months old, “closing cases, solving crimes, and saving lives.”

Unlike his more intimidating K-9 colleagues, Bo is gentle and provides comfort to those he tracks. During his first mission, he successfully located a missing 11-year-old boy with autism, soothing him as they awaited help. Since then, Bo has helped find several lost senior citizens, a 7-year-old kidnapping victim, and even tracked down robbery suspects using a scent trail that was four hours old.

Fun fact: Bo is afraid of Halloween decorations, as noted by his handler, Sgt. David Rowland.