Tom Hanks and Monty.

The star of such movie classics as “Apollo 13″ and “Forest Gump” shared with his Twitter followers the loss of his dog Monty on January 19, posting the above image of his beloved pet with the caption “Monty. Deep brown eyes, noble demeanor, finest dog ever. A sad day. Goodbye Big Boy.”

The Dog Files would like to express our sadness in the passing of Monty. RIP.

Dox, center, and Lyon, right, were killed in May during an operation carried out by Military Police.

BRAZIL — Quick, determined and with impeccable senses of smell and hearing, Dox and Lyon lost their lives during a recent police operation.

The two dogs were fatally shot while pursuing suspects in a forest near the city of Ribeirão das Neves on behalf of the Minas Gerais Military Police on May 17.

As soon as the trained German Shepherds located the hiding criminals, they started barking to alert officers they had located the suspects.

“One of the fugitives fired nine rounds and five hit Dox and four hit Lyon,” says Capt. Paulo Roberto Alves, commander of the Minas Gerais Military Police (PMMG) Shock Brigade, where the dogs had trained and served. “They gave their lives to protect police officers.”

But the PMMG took an extra step to honor their canine colleagues.

The courage shown by Dox and Lyon, who had been on the force for six and two years, respectively, inspired the organization to create a Hall of Heroes.

It’s expected to be built this year at the headquarters of the PMMG’s 1st Company for Special Missions, in Contagem.

The hall will contain the ashes of dogs lost in service, as well as plaques and their photographs.

Dox and Lyon will be the first enshrined.

The dogs also were the first to be cremated by the PMMG, on May 20. Prior to their cremation, the officers spent a few minutes with the Dox and Lyon’s remains, paying respect to their fallen heroes.

“It was one of the saddest moments of my life,” says Officer Luís Antônio de Castro Maciel, who was assigned to work with Dox five years ago. “It was like he was family to me.”

Officer Welly Lucindo, who was assigned to work with Lyon more than two years ago, says he “lost a friend.”

“What happened was a real tragedy,” he says. “I’m never going to forget him.”

Alves says the 16 dogs assigned to the unit are considered police officers.

“They train, they’re registered and they work just like any other officer,” he says. “In addition, they learn to give their lives if necessary.”

Police dogs are an invaluable resource when conducting operations, Alves says.

“In dense forests, 70% of the operation depends on the dogs, and only 30% on the human officers,” he adds. “They’re essential.”

“The dogs are one step ahead of the human officers in terms of speed, because of their body types; in hearing, because they can detect infrasound and ultrasound; and in their sense of smell, because they possess somewhere around 200 million olfactory cells, while a human, on average, has around 5,000,” says Sgt. Marcelo Piovesan, who heads the technical training of the War Dogs at the Army Police’s 5th Company in Curitiba in the state of Paraná.

The Federal Highway Police (PRF) in Paraná said the dogs’ performances played a major role in the department’s recent success in its fight against narcotics. The results of the PRF’s operations in Paraná enabled the state lead the nation in crack and marijuana seizures.

“Three police officers would take between 15 to 30 minutes to inspect the baggage on a passenger bus,” says Leonel Weng, a police officer who works with the PRF police dogs. “In two minutes, a dog can let you know if there are drugs on the scene.”

Brazilian Police pay their respects to Dox and Lyon.

Brazilian Police pay their respects to Dox and Lyon.

William Tuttle, 45, crawled across the frozen surface in Fountain, Colorado after fearing Brock was drowning.

But, just as he reached the dog, the ice gave way and the father-of-two plunged into the freezing water.

He had just enough time to throw the animal to the shore but rescuers took 90 minutes to get Mr Tuttle back on to dry land.

The victim, who had been walking alone with the dog, was rushed by ambulance to Memorial Hospital but died a short time later.

His distraught daughter Megan, 19, said her only comfort is that her father’s last words were to tell her he loved her.

‘I told him I love him too,’ she told KRDO News 13. ‘It’s so hard. He’s not here anymore. He was such a great man.

‘You would never see him without a smile on his face. He was always so happy. He would help anybody out if they needed it.’

His son Taylor, 16, said he was proud his father, adding: ‘He’s my angel right now. He is. It wasn’t stupid. He did what he had to do.’

It is not known whether Brock was let off his leash or simply slipped out of Mr Tuttle’s before dashing on to the thin ice.

The father’s first instinct was to save the animal, who had only been brought into the nearby family home three weeks ago.

Casey O’Malley, who was fishing at the Willow Springs Pond, told KKTV 11 News: ‘He got down on his hands and knees, and then walked out towards and to the dog.

‘At that point the owner did fall through the ice. He and the dog struggled for a second. The owner was able to get the dog up onto the ice.’

A woman who was close found a stick and tried to pull Mr Tuttle from the freezing water but was unable to free him as he frantically splashed about.

The alarm was raised and rescuers from the Fountain Fire Department eventually reached the victim and pulled him out.

Luckily a crew, who had already alerted about children on the ice, were half way to the pond when the 911 call was made, Fountain Fire Chief Darrin Anstine revealed.

But they were too late to save him.

Taylor says he is now concentrating on finishing high school and making his father proud when he graduates.

Memorial Service for Lucky.

Luck is truly a hero among men! RIP Lucky.

Airmen of the 92nd Security Forces Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base paid their respects Thursday to one of their own.

Lucky, a military working dog, survived five tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.

He succumbed to cancer last September at age 10, surviving two previous diagnoses of the disease.

Several dozen service members gathered for a morning memorial service in the base community center.

An orange box with Lucky’s ashes sat next to his portrait atop a travel kennel.

Maj. Garon Shelton, squadron commander, said Lucky saved countless service personnel, sniffing out explosives and securing their missions.

Lucky had a reputation as the hardest-hitting among the seven to eight dogs stationed at Fairchild. “He could take anyone down to the ground,” Shelton said during the service.

He became a media star following his survival from two previous bouts of cancer and received a Hometown Heroes award from the American Red Cross in 2010.

He was in Kyrgyzstan completing his fifth tour when his latest handler, Staff Sgt. Chris Fall, discovered a new tumor on his rear left leg last Aug. 20, five days before their return to Fairchild.

The tumor grew quickly. Lucky was moved to a veterinary center at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, where he died Sept. 30, Fall said.

“It was pretty tough,” Fall said of Lucky’s death, acknowledging the close relationship between military working dogs and soldiers.

“He’s in doggie heaven,” Fall said. “He’s probably running around all day eating doggie bones.”

A Belgian Malinois, Lucky was known for his keen nose and no-nonsense tenacity. The dog was cool under fire and could close on a fleeing suspect with a burst of speed, traits that run deep in this favored sheepdog breed.

Lucky underwent training at age 1 at the Department of Defense Military Working Dog School at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

Military dogs train throughout their careers with their handlers.

Lucky arrived at Fairchild in July 2003 and worked with nine handlers during his career.

In 2008, Lucky sniffed out an explosive device fastened to a generator at a forward base in Afghanistan, averting potential disaster.

In another incident, Lucky and a squad of soldiers survived an improvised bomb attack on a road in Iraq.

During his time at Fairchild, Lucky provided protection for presidential, vice presidential and congressional visits. Lucky was also called out on 31 emergency events locally, including bomb threats.

The soldiers said Lucky, like other military working dogs, was absolutely fearless and would sacrifice his life for them.

At Fairchild, Lucky befriended a female Malinois, Dakota, who was at Lucky’s memorial service. She was described as Lucky’s girlfriend.

All of the working dogs are recognized when their careers end, either through a retirement ceremony or a memorial if they die on duty.

During the service, Chaplain Capt. Craig Nakagawa said, “This dog was capable of love and therefore had a soul.”

Sadly, Major Shelton said, cancer was the “final and only battle he would lose.”

Below is a video of Lucky training in Afghanistan.

The TV show premiered in the United States on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at the AMC Theater in Nyack, NY. Below, is Dog Files Creator, Kenn Bell talking about the Dog Files mission to the search & rescue teams, dogs included, members of Homeland Security and the Press that attended.

Below that is the trailer for the Hero Dogs Of 9/11 one hour TV Special. Enjoy and if you’d like Animal Planet to play it in the United States leave a nice message on their Facebook Page right here.

Alice during happier times.

The Dog Files is sorry to have to bring you such sad news today. Our heart goes out to Captain Matt Taylor and all the Marines that spent time with Alice. Here is the earlier story from the Spring.

– Kenn Bell

Alice, a stray dog that was discovered in bad shape in Afghanistan and was quickly adopted by a group of U.S. Marines and made their unofficial mascot, has died 3 months after arriving in Indiana.

Alice was brought home to Lebanon, Indiana by her owner, Captain Matt Taylor who was able to do so thanks to the students at Lebanon Middle School who helped raise the money for Alice’s trip.

Taylor said that the dog appeared tired and when she was taken to the vet for overnight care, Alice died the same night of massive liver failure.

Though it’s still uncertain as to what caused the dog’s sudden death, what is certain however, is that Alice will be sorely missed by the Marines who came to love her and relied on her to help them ease their pain and loneliness.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

Hawkeye, the dog that refused to leave the casket of his beloved fallen owner, Navy Seal Jon Tumilson, will now help commemorate the troops at a college football game. The dog will purportedly lead the Iowa Hawkeyes out onto the field at one of two hometown games in November that will also honor Tumilson.

Tumilson’s dog captured America’s heart last week when he laid at the casket of his fallen best friend.

The 35-year-old Tumilson, who grew up in northern Iowa, was one of the American soldiers killed in Afghanistan on August 6th when his helicopter was shot down.

Tumilson, who joined the Navy after graduating high school in Iowa in 1995, was a big Hawkeye football fan.

A former Iowa player suggested that Hawkeye lead the team on the field as a way to honor Tumilson’s sacrifice.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

In what has to be one of the most touching images I’ve ever seen, Hawkeye the dog lies next to his owner’s casket.

Petty Officer Jon T. Tumilson was laid to rest Friday in Rockford, Iowa, where an over 1,500 mourners came to pay respects for the fallen Navy SEAL, including his dog Hawkeye.

Hawkeye’s loyalty to his owner at the funeral created a heart-wrenching image as he laid down by the casket during the entire service.

Our thoughts and prayer go out to Hawkeye and the rest of Tumilson’s Family. Navy SEAL Tumilson is the definition of an American hero.

A few weeks ago Morgan was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma. Hemangiosarcoma is a rare, rapidly growing, highly invasive variety of cancer that is very common in German Shepherds.

Earlier this morning, Morgan started to have serious complications and began to bleed out and the decision was made to not let her suffer any more.

Morgan was born on June 16, 1999 and was one of the two original canines on the K9 Task Force. She had extensive training in cadaver location (her specialty), scenting and trailing of persons, collapsed building searches, rappelling, as well as water scenting (from aboard a boat or on shore). During her active time on the team she found many lost and missing persons, assisted local law enforcement in helping track down felons and locating the remains of the deceased.

During her team’s mission at the World Trade Center, Morgan and Chief John Frank took a terrible fall together. John fell about 10 feet breaking his arm and Morgan fell nearly 30 feet and was knocked unconscious. With help from the Suffolk County SPCA, Morgan was awakened and was ready to go back to work 6 hours later.

When the team re-visited the WTC site in Sept 2002, Morgan began to have trouble walking. After some tests and talking with the team’s vet, it was determined that Morgan was starting to have some serious hip trouble from the previous year’s fall.

On October 4, 2002, Morgan was officially retired…but not for long.

In September 2005, Morgan, John and Jason came out of retirement for a few weeks of work to assist New Orleans and the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.

Since 2002 Morgan has lived the relaxed life in the care of Dee, her favorite vet assistant. Dee has been taking care of Morgan since she was a puppy.

Morgan took full advantage of her retired life, spending her days chasing toys and taking up space on the couch and every now and then taking Dee on an adventure through the woods during their daily walks.

Rest in peace dear Morgan. You deserve it.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

If ever a dog was a real-life Rover, it was Owney.

In the 1890s, this magical mutt turned into a national legend by traveling across the United States by rail and then globe-trotting to Mexico, Canada, Europe and Asia. Owney became the U.S. Postal Service’s mascot and magical good luck charm.

Now his adorably scruffy image will grace a new U.S. postage stamp. And in honor of this distinction, Owney’s Milwaukee, Wisconsin connection will be marked with a public ceremony at the Wisconsin Humane Society on Wednesday

All this to honor a little dog no one wanted.

The pooch’s story began in 1888 when the brown stray wandered into the Albany, New York, post office. The clerks there took pity on the homeless waif, fed him and adopted him as their mascot with the name “Owney.”

From that first day, Owney showed an odd connection with the U.S. mail, falling asleep on top of mailbags and following them when they were placed on Railway Mail Service trains.

Soon railway mail clerks noticed something almost supernatural about this little mutt. In an era when railroad wrecks were common, no train Owney rode on ever crashed. Owney was seen as a good luck charm and became a part of rail folklore. He was even fitted with a special collar to display souvenir tags from each of his stops. Some of those tags still exist, including tags from the dog’s celebrity visits to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

But no Rover could be satisfied staying put for long. Owney shipped out on a steamship and embarked on a world trip. He made such a stir that Japan’s emperor granted him an audience.

Owney continued to ride the rails until ill-health ended his travels. He died in 1897 after logging more than 143,000 miles and keeping his perfect safety record intact.

The U.S. Postal Service never forgot its lucky charm. Stuffed and mounted, Owney still stands watch at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C., where he continues to get special attention.

Owney also serves as an enduring icon for animal adoption.

“Owney’s story is particularly moving to us because he is truly a hero for shelter dogs everywhere,” said Angela Speed of the Wisconsin Humane Society. “From sleeping on the streets to traveling the world in style,

Owney’s life was changed for the better because someone recognized the inherent goodness and intelligence of this special dog. We see dogs like Owney every day who are transformed from being unwanted animals to cherished family members.”

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files