10 Heroic Dogs That Saved People's Lives

Happy Memorial Day!

On Memorial Day, many people remember the men and women that served our country, but many forget the dogs that helped the humans in war.  Pedigree has posted an article that tributes these heroes.

On Memorial Day, Americans will visit war memorials in cities and towns across the country. This annual ritual helps us connect to the brave members of the military who defended our freedom in past conflicts. There is one memorial, however, that is quite unique, because the fallen veterans it honors had four legs. This is the U.S. War Dog Memorial in Holmdel, New Jersey.

When you learn about the countless acts of selfless courage and total loyalty that "dogs of war" have displayed in battles around the world, it seems very fitting that there is at least one official memorial.

A very brief history of war dogs
We may never know when the first dog accompanied a human soldier into battle, but historical records indicate that the Romans used armored dogs. Fighting canines were also put to use against the Romans: Mastiffs were called into service by the British to fight Caesar's invading forces circa 55 BC Going further back, there is evidence that the ancient armies of Persia and Babylon "enlisted" dogs into service in their empire-building military campaigns.

Send Care Packages To Military Dogs Overseas!

Let's not forget our heroes this Memorial Day Weekend...both canine and human.  This post on PawBuzz.com gives all the details of how to send care packages to US Military working dogs deployed overseas. 

Military Working Dogs (MWD) are a vital part of the US Armed Forces. These highly trained pups work side by side with their handlers in war zones as trackers or sentries, in search and rescue, explosive detection and so much more.

Interested in sending these hard working canines a little TLC? Below we’ve listed several ways you can send or contribute to care packages for these well deserving pups and their handlers…

*Disclaimer – It’s important to contact each organization before you send your donation or package to verify shipping details.

The United States War Dog Association, Inc.
This non-profit organization has been sending care packages to US military dogs all over the world since 2003. President of the organization, Ron Aiello, says that packages are sent all year round.

Who Rescued Whom?

Following up on an article I posted earlier, this post on NPR.org is a beautiful story of how a rescue dog actually rescued his owner!

He Rescued A Dog. Then The Dog Rescued Him
See the video of this story here:

Eric O'Grey knew he was in trouble. His weight had ballooned to 320 pounds, and he was spending more than $1,000 a month on medications for high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

In 2010, a physician told him to buy a funeral plot, because he would need it in five years. He was 51 years old.

So he went to talk with a naturopathic doctor about losing weight. She said: Get a shelter dog.

Crime Fighters!

Pacifica Police Officer with his canine officer
(not part of this program).

This organization rescues dogs and turns them in to crime fighters!  What a great story from IHeartDogs.com!

Maybe you’ve seen one before: a shelter dog with a wild streak, jumping, spinning, barking, and swirling around with as much energy as the Tasmanian Devil. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to find a home for these kind of dogs that are nearly unmanageable.

However, these hyper hounds make the perfect candidates for Working Dogs For Conservation (WD4C), where their focused fixation and boundless energy are put to good use.

Described as “the world’s leading conservation detection dog organization” on their site, this group trains canines to sniff out clues that solve crimes, bust criminals, and enhance conservation.

These dogs can detect a multitude of scents: narcotics, cadavers, people who need rescuing, illegal snares, endangered animals and plants, noxious weeds, aquatic life, and more.

Because of the intensity of this work, with lives and species at stake, this organization seeks out to recruit the most strong-willed pups they can find; often, the “unadoptables.”

Hero Dog in Paris

We are saddened by the tragedy that happened in Paris, and this story of a hero dog who lost his life makes it all the more tragic.  But I love how Diesel is being honored for his bravery as a police dog, and during the attacks.  Read his story here.

A Hero's Happy Ending

I love this story I found in the November issue of Womans Day magazine.  It's an article about Ddoc, a German Shepherd military veteran who not only inspired other PTSD-suffering vets of the human kind, but inspired his owner Chloe to create an organization that helps other dogs dealing with PTSD!

Click on photos to enlarge.

Courthouse Dogs

Photo courtesy of Upworthy.com

I love reading stories like this about hero dogs.  Courthouse Dogs provides service dogs to those who are testifying against the ones who emotionally traumatized them.  Read more about these heroes here.  This is a great program that needs more support, so here's the program's official website for more information!

Hero Pup of the Week

This week's pet of the week is a special hero dog.  Mama went to Macy's and said she saw a dog inside!  Then she explained that it was a service dog, which is allowed in the store.  Amika is a labradoodle.  Her name is Italian, meaning "friend."  She is a beautiful chocolate brown and weighs 85 pounds.

She helps her owner by wearing a service vest and keeping her company while she shops.  Remember when you see a dog with a service vest, you should not approach them, because they are on duty.

Dogs like these are everyday heroes!

Hero Dogs

In honor of Memorial Day this weekend, I thought I'd share this great National Geographic article in June 2014, of hero dogs that help our U.S. soldiers out on the battlefield.

Some dogs are assigned to go out ahead of a platoon to inspect if an area is safe for the other soldiers.  There are some dogs that are used to sniff out bombs.  These dogs are taught to take instruction far away from their handler to protect them, and they go through extensive training.  These guys are amazing.  Take a moment to read the article and learn about these hard-working, patriotic dogs that are helping save humans, every day.

The article can be found here.