The darkest of circumstances can throw the brightest of heroes into relief.

Before being rescued by local authorities, Chance was a victim of animal abuse in Lee County, Florida. Chance, however, hasn’t allowed his life to be defined by poor circumstances. After the officers who rescued Chance fell in love with him, the endearing pup was adopted by Lieutenant Castellon and deputized by Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

Today, Chance works as the “spokes dog” for the Deputy Dogs Pets on Patrol program in Lee County, working as an advocate for the adoption of shelter pets and spreading awareness of animal cruelty.

Chance’s old life is fully behind him. Thankfully, the brave men and women of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were able to gather enough evidence to convict the individual responsible for Chance’s mistreatment.

Chance has won the honor of the 2021 Shelter Hero Dog, sponsored by Lulu’s Fund, by tugging on the heartstrings of the public and rallying a loyal band of followers. This year, more than 400 nominees threw their names in the hat for the title of America’s Top Dog.

Deputy Chance, like the other six finalists, is already a winner in his own right. Together, these fantastic canines will be recognized for their heroism as part of a star-studded Hero Dog Awards Gala in Palm Beach on November 12, where the winner will be named. Animal lovers are invited to vote, once per day, for their favorite pup through September 7 at www.HeroDogAwards.org.