They Should Get the Key to the City
Those of us who have shared our homes with a rescued pet know their loyalty runs deep. But deep enough to save someone’s life? Absolutely. This year’s Pets of Valor Award highlights just that – the lifesaving heroics of five former castaways who risked life and limb to rescue their human companions.
Of our top five Pets of Valor finalists, a few of them were found wandering the streets. Another came out of a drug house. One had been shot, and still had lead shot in his hip when he was dumped at the shelter.
Each of them got a second chance. And then when there was a moment of crisis for their rescuer, they responded with bravery and heroism – becoming the rescuers themselves.
Omar Von Muller
Uggie, star of the Academy Award-winning film “The Artist,”
is the official spokesdog for Pets of Valor.
You may remember the scene from the Academy Award-winning film “The Artist,” where Uggie, a Jack Russell Terrier, saves the life of his owner from a fire. Taz, one of the Pets of Valor Award finalists, also completed this life-saving feat, but there was no director, no stage, and certainly no chance for a second “take.”
It’s this sort of heroism that makes the finalists for the Pets of Valor Award so remarkable. Whether it’s a fire, a life-threatening medical emergency, or an attack by a sexual offender, these rescued and adopted pets acted valiantly to protect the humans they’d come to love. The human-animal bond doesn’t get any stronger than this.
For those of us who’ve known animals, it’s impossible to doubt that they have feelings and emotions. Now, with the Pets of Valor program, we know that they exhibit intentional, altruistic behavior – the sort of behavior that, if one of us did it, would result in our getting the key to the city and our name in the paper.
I encourage you to take a few minutes to read the heroic stories, then vote and tell us who your favorite dog or cat is. You can vote once a day until this Friday, May 31, at 5 pm EDT. Not only will you help one of these animals win, but you’ll help the shelter or rescue group who cared for the animal win free dog food for a year (500 pounds), courtesy of the award’s sponsor, BOGO Bowl.
P.S. Thinking of adding a pet to your family? Check out the wonderful companion animals available for adoption at a shelter or rescue near you and adopt your own Pet of Valor.
