THE 2024 AMERICAN HUMANE HERO DOG IS THE EPITOME OF A GOOD BOY

Big congratulations are in order for one incredible hound!

The winner of the 2024 American Humane Hero Dog Awards was revealed exclusively on TODAY on November 8, with bloodhound Bo taking the title of top hero pup.

Bo serves as a police dog with the Gastonia Police Department in North Carolina, working alongside Sergeant David Rowland. The duo appeared on TODAY when Bo was announced as this year’s American Humane Hero Dog, and Rowland expressed his surprise and gratitude.

“I didn’t think we were going to win. I just feel blessed to be here with Bo and the American Humane team, sharing our story and highlighting Bo’s amazing accomplishments in our community, not to mention his incredible nose as a bloodhound,” Rowland said.

Bo started out competing against 25 other remarkable dogs for the 2024 American Humane Hero Dog title, awarded to canines who accomplish “extraordinary things,” such as saving lives in combat or assisting their human companions in vital tasks.

Bo ultimately emerged as the winner, selected from a group of five finalists, which included military dog Niki, service dog Sampson, therapy dog Dayo, and shelter dog Penny. Each finalist had won their respective category: Law Enforcement and First Responder Dogs, Service and Guide Dogs, Emerging Hero and Shelter Dogs, Therapy Dogs, and Military Dogs.

CEO of American Humane Robin Ganzert said while on TODAY that all the dogs are winners, at the end of the day.

“They’re all winners to us, actually, all winners,” CEO of American Humane Robin Ganzert said of all the finalists while on TODAY.

Here’s everything to know about Bo, the winner of the 2024 American Humane Hero Dog Awards.

Meet the winner, Bo

Bo is an 18-month-old male bloodhound who works alongside Sergeant David Rowland at the Gastonia Police Department in North Carolina, according to American Humane.

Bo began his crime-solving and life-saving work at just 8 months old after being selected from his litter by the police department in 2023.

Rowland formed a close bond with Bo early on by bringing him home for training, where his kids played educational games with the pup in their backyard, helping him learn and grow, as shared by American Humane.

Bo is notably the first bloodhound at the North Carolina police department, where classic law enforcement breeds like German shepherds have historically worked at, according to the organization.

Shortly after starting at the police station, Bo tracked down a missing 11-year-old child with autism and located an elderly patient with dementia, per the dog’s official bio.

Other heroic achievements include tracking down an elderly patient during a cold winter night, and finding a 7-year-old child taken at knifepoint, per his bio.