Hallmark Channel will present the inaugural American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11. The program, presented by Cesar Canine Cuisine, will also be broadcast for U.S. troops worldwide through Armed Forces Network after its debut on Hallmark.

Hosted by Emmy Award-winning Carson Kressley on Oct. 1, the Hero Dog Awards pay tribute to eight dogs and their handlers — each partnership a testament to the age-old bond between dogs and people.

After a nationwide online search that elicited about 400,000 votes, each dog was selected among hundreds of nominees from all 50 states in one of eight categories: Law Enforcement and Arson Dogs; Service Dogs; Therapy Dogs; Military Dogs; Guide Dogs; Search and Rescue Dogs; Hearing Dogs; and Emerging Hero Dogs, a category that highlights ordinary pets who do extraordinary things. At the end of the evening, one dog was named the overall “American Hero Dog.”

Celebrity judges and presenters on hand for the festivities included Betty White, Peter Fonda, Faith Ford, Pauley Perrette, Michael Vartan, Jason Lewis, Candy Spelling, Victoria Stillwell and Joey Lawrence.

You can find more about each of the eight dogs and their stories at the Hero Dog Awards website.

A dog thrown out a car window into the middle of a busy Colorado highway last week is recovering at an animal shelter in Teller County, Colorado.

A couple told workers at the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter that when they saw the dog get tossed out of the car, they blocked traffic, approached the dog lying in the middle of the highway and picked her up. They took her to the Teller County shelter.

Shelter workers have named the dog Mystery. She’s about 13 pounds, white with unusual black facial markings, a short tail and long thin face, possibly a Terrier mix.

Workers said when Mystery arrived, she could not stand or walk. After an exam and several X-rays, a vet determined that Mystery had several fractures in her pelvis and a severe older break in her left rear leg.

Vets say Mystery is good-natured and is welcoming the attention at the clinic.

The shelter is trying to raise money to pay for treating Mystery’s severe injuries. Learn more on the new Teller County Regional Animal Shelter’s website.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

Evan Moss’ seizures come quietly in the night. When they strike, the 7-year-old’s parents have to give him medicine to make them stop, or risk brain damage. But to do that, they have to know they are happening. Lisa and Rob Moss live in fear of missing one.

The seizures are so silent that even if Rob and Lisa sleep in the next room with a baby monitor to listen, they can’t hear them, so Evan sleeps with them in their bed. “We go through life pretty much not well-rested and with a strong addiction to caffeine,” says Lisa Moss.

But a service dog specially trained to detect seizures and alert Evan’s parents could help insure that Rob and Lisa don’t miss a seizure and also make it possible for Evan to sleep in his own bed.  The catch? A dog like that costs about $13,000.

To raise the money for the dog, the family discussed the usual options: a 5K run, a dinner with a band, a lemonade stand.

As almost an afterthought, they came up with the idea of self-publishing a short book Evan had written as part of his application for the dog. Initially, they modestly hoped maybe they could sell 150 at $10 apiece. But Evan has now sold 10 times that many copies of the 26-page “My Seizure Dog”. A July 24 book-signing alone drew an estimated 650 people to a local coffee shop, and at one point Evan’s book ranked 125th in sales among all the millions of books on Amazon.

And as it turns out, none of the profits from book sales needed to go towards the cost of Evan’s dog, because donations alone have topped $26,000 — more than twice what the Alexandria, Virginia boy needed for his dog. The additional thousands of dollars, plus proceeds from the book, will now make up the difference between what four other children’s families have raised and the cost of their service dogs.

Evan’s dog, which will be trained by the nonprofit 4 Paws for Ability on how to pick up a scent-related chemical change in Evan’s body that precedes a seizure, will be ready for the family to pick up next June. The dog will be either a poodle or a poodle mix, Lisa Moss says, because poodles are less likely to aggravate her dog allergy.

Since Evan’s dog hasn’t yet been selected by 4 Paws, the Mosses don’t know how it will alert them to an impending seizure. Some dogs bark, others nudge parents, says Karen Shirk, the nonprofit’s founder

Still, Lisa Moss says, “that’s a really big task to put on an animal. At the beginning, we’re basically going to have a boy and a dog in our bed. At some point, Evan will be back in his own bed with a dog.”

As for Evan, he’s already making plans to write “My Seizure Dog 2” after he gets his new companion.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

Colorado prisoners have trained hundreds of dogs rescued from shelters as part of a work program that began in 2002. But Clyde, a chocolate Labrador, is one of the first dogs trained to meet the needs of a child with autism such as nine year old Zack Tucker.

The credit for this particular achievement goes to convicted killer Christopher Vogt, whose dedication to animals and whose skill with people have earned him such trust in prison that he is allowed to interact directly with Zack as the two work together with Clyde.

Since Zack easily gets confused and then breaks down in tears of frustration, Vogt, in training Clyde, would regularly put his hands to his face and cry just as he was told Zack does. He has taught Clyde that when Zack does it, Clyde is to interrupt him by nudging him in the face with his nose.

Vogt, who is incarcerated at Colorado’s Sterling Correctional Facility, has also trained Clyde to gently nudge Zack’s cheek when the boy suddenly stares blankly while reading a book. Vogt said such a maneuver will keep Zack focused.

Vogt said his girlfriend, an elementary school teacher, first got him interested in helping kids with autism. She sent him magazine articles about how dogs have helped them.

Vogt, eligible for parole in 2018, is now a certified master dog trainer. He has taught scores of inmates how to train dogs and has written two picture books for kids, including “Your Four-Footed Friend.”

“If he weren’t wearing the colors, you’d never know he was a prisoner,” said Department of Corrections staff supervisor Darlene McInnes.

She said not every dog can help a child with autism. Clyde, who is 18 months old, and his mother, Bonnie, were rescued from a shelter.

“Clyde is the full package,” McInnes said. “He’s very intelligent. He has the perfect temperament and he’s willing to please.”

Zack’s parents, Arthur and Susy Tucker, hope Clyde will help their gifted boy cope with his Asperger syndrome, a form of autism, so he can go to college and achieve his potential.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

He wasn’t in their family for very long but the indelible mark he left on their hearts inspired them to help other needy animals.

Stanley, an 11-year old German Shepherd from Cheshire, Massachusetts who died in April, inspired his owners Debbie and Jim Wojtaszek, to create “Cans For Stans,” a can and bottle drive to benefit two local animal shelters.

The Wojtaszeks adopted the dog last September from the Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

According to Debbie, they knew that Stanley wasn’t going to be around for a long time, but nonetheless the dog instantly became a member of the family.

“We fell head-over-heels in love with him,” she said.

The “old-timer” was gentle and loving, she said. And, despite his age, was full of life.

“Nobody told him he was old,” said Debbie. “He was so energetic. He’d chase a ball until your arm would fall off.”

Stanley’s death left a “gaping emptiness” in the family.”

“I needed to do something,” said Debbie. And she did.

Saturday, Debbie and Jim were out in front of their local Petco in Pittsfield, Massachusetts collecting cans, bottles and donations.

Around 50 people, many of whom they didn’t know, donated either money or dropped off cans and bottles, she said. In the end, they received around $200 in donations.

The items they collected will be recycled with all the proceeds going to sponsor older pet adoptions at two animal shelters in Pittsfield, Massachusetts — the Berkshire Humane Society and the Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter.

The money will help provide the animals medical care so that they will be more adoptable, she said.

The Wojtaszeks, who are planning to adopt another older dog at some point, will be continuing to do can and bottle pick-ups for the next few weeks as they consider their next step, which may include monthly pick-ups.

“I think Stanley would approve,” Debbie said.

For further information, call the Wojtaszeks at (413) 743-3836.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

He wasn’t in their family for very long but the indelible mark he left on their hearts inspired them to help other needy animals.

Stanley, an 11-year old German Shepherd from Cheshire, Massachusetts who died in April, inspired his owners Debbie and Jim Wojtaszek, to create “Cans For Stans,” a can and bottle drive to benefit two local animal shelters.

The Wojtaszeks adopted the dog last September from the Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

According to Debbie, they knew that Stanley wasn’t going to be around for a long time, but nonetheless the dog instantly became a member of the family.

“We fell head-over-heels in love with him,” she said.

The “old-timer” was gentle and loving, she said. And, despite his age, was full of life.

“Nobody told him he was old,” said Debbie. “He was so energetic. He’d chase a ball until your arm would fall off.”

Stanley’s death left a “gaping emptiness” in the family.”

“I needed to do something,” said Debbie. And she did.

Saturday, Debbie and Jim were out in front of their local Petco in Pittsfield, Massachusetts collecting cans, bottles and donations.

Around 50 people, many of whom they didn’t know, donated either money or dropped off cans and bottles, she said. In the end, they received around $200 in donations.

The items they collected will be recycled with all the proceeds going to sponsor older pet adoptions at two animal shelters in Pittsfield, Massachusetts — the Berkshire Humane Society and the Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter.

The money will help provide the animals medical care so that they will be more adoptable, she said.

The Wojtaszeks, who are planning to adopt another older dog at some point, will be continuing to do can and bottle pick-ups for the next few weeks as they consider their next step, which may include monthly pick-ups.

“I think Stanley would approve,” Debbie said.

For further information, call the Wojtaszeks at (413) 743-3836.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

For veterans struggling to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, trained canine companions can help them better manage stress and better adjust to civilian life. Now, there’s an easy way for supporters to help veterans get service dogs.

The “Dog Bless USA” campaign is rallying Americans to help provide much-needed service dogs — all by just clicking “like” on the Facebook page.

For veterans with PTSD, social interactions and returning to civilian jobs can be difficult. Recovering from the trauma of war, being approached by strangers, especially unexpectedly, can be scary.

Service dogs are trained to watch their owners’ backs, warn them of people coming up to them and physically help them maintain distance from strangers.

These tactics help the veterans feel safer and calmer.

For Paul Gernert, a postal worker in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a service dog named Bertha helps him as he goes about his daily route.

Gernert says, “these dogs are life-changing.”

The campaign is organized by Explore.org and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

For every 5,000 people who click “like” on the page between May 27 and July 4, one dog will be given to a veteran with PTSD. They hope to reach 500,000 new “likes” on Facebook to meet their goal of providing 100 service dogs to returning veterans.

Supporters can get involved by going to Facebook.com/exploredogs.

For years now, at every Mets and Yankees game, she’s been forced to sit outside for hours on end with a pipe in her mouth, wearing what is believed to be a shock collar hidden by colorful bandanas and silly outfits with neither food, nor water, nor rest, just so her owner can panhandle for money.

While the shock collar hasn’t been seen since it would be hidden underneath the attire, witnesses say that when the dog attempts to lay down, she immediately hops back up. Her owner stands about ten feet away from her.

This is the plight of a dog named Coffee and thanks to 7000 plus caring individuals who have joined the “Stop Abusing Coffee” Facebook page, hopefully this abuse will stop.

Along with the Facebook page there is also a petition for Coffee, that with hopefully enough signatures, stadium officials will be moved to take a stance against the dog’s owner.

If you are interested in helping Coffee, please “like” the “Stop Abusing Coffee” Facebook page, sign the petition, and take a moment to contact the ASPCA by clicking this link.

In NYC call them at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4450
In NJ call then at (800) 582-5979

The NY Mets website also offers a link where you can send feedback. You can access the link here.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

Check out the video to see Dozer receive his Maryland Half Marathon Finishers Medal.

See the original Dozer story here.