Tehachapi dog gets national honor for search-and-rescue work
NEW YORK — Add another award to Hunter's impressive resume.
In 2010, the Tehachapi border collie became the first-ever nonhuman to be named Los Angeles County's Firefighter of the Year.
Now, Hunter is being honored by the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence as the top search-and-rescue dog.
The awards, announced Wednesday, honor five loyal, hard-working dogs that have made significant contributions in each of the following categories: exemplary companion dog, law enforcement, search-and-rescue, service and therapy.
Read more about each of the winners >>
Hunter, who is owned by fire Capt. Billy Monahan, is being honored for his work in earthquake-stricken Haiti and earthquake- and tsunami-devastated Japan. He helped rescue three Haitian girls from a collapsed four-story building and worked through aftershocks and freezing temperatures in Japan.
"The AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence celebrate what dogs contribute to our lives, and these five exceptional recipients exemplify the selfless service canines perform for us everyday," said AKC spokeswoman Lisa Peterson in a news release. "The dogs we're honoring with the ACE award show the impact a single dog can make in a community."
Hunter and his fellow honorees will receive $1,000 and an engraved sterling-silver medallion Dec. 17 at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Orlando, Fla.
