Is your dog a hero?

IS your dog really special, not only a loyal companion but a hero? If so,  now’s your chance to tell everybody why.

The Irish Kennel Club has launched the inaugural Golden Paw Hero Dog Awards in association with GAIN Pet Food to find Ireland’s most courageous, brave and life changing canines.

The awards, which were officially launched on The Late Late Show, will acknowledge Ireland’s hero dogs that unconditionally avail themselves to us in so many important ways.

The awards are open to any dog deemed to have performed an exemplary act or series of acts, whether large or seemingly small, that has significantly benefited a community or individual.

The awards will be broken down into the following categories:
* Exemplary Companion Dog/Life Changing Dog
* Therapy/Guide Dog
* Bravery Dog
* Search and Rescue Dog
* Law Enforcement Dog

Five finalists will be selected, one from each category, and inducted into the Irish Kennel Club ‘Hall of Fame’. The overall winner will be chosen from these five finalists and will receive the Golden Paw Hero Dog Award 2014 in association with GAIN Pet Food.

Irish Kennel Club CEO said, “We at the Irish Kennel Club are very lucky to witness how important dogs can be in the lives of their owners, and wanted to celebrate this and reward the animals for their role in society.”
Anyone, including the dog’s owner or handler, may submit a nomination, which can be in respect of pedegreea nd non-pedegree dogs.

Submissions must include:

A non-returnable, original photograph of the dog

· A 500 word (or less) description of how the dog has demonstrated excellence

· The dog’s call name, registered name (if applicable), breed, age and sex

Email: goldenpaw@ikc.ie or post to the Irish Kennel Club.