This week, American Humane is kicking off one of our most exciting and heartwarming campaigns — the 2021 American Humane Hero Dog Awards^®. The nationwide contest, now in its 11th year, searches for the best of our best friends and honors them in a televised award ceremony on Hallmark Channel. The two-hour special is broadcast in conjunction with the network’s pet adoption advocacy initiative, Hallmark Channel’s Adoption Ever After, which fights to empty the nation’s shelters through adoption.

Dog owners accross the country are encouraged to nominate their pups for this competition by visiting www.HeroDogAwards.org. Pups can be nominated in one of seven categories: Law Enforcement and Detection Dogs, Military Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Service Dogs, Shelter Dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs and Guide/Hearing Dogs.

After the nomination period, which ends on March 2nd, 21 semifinalists (the top three in each category) will be chosen in a first round of voting by the public. The second round, featuring a combination of public and celebrity judge voting, will narrow the field to seven category finalists who will then vie, through a final round of public and celebrity judge voting, for the title of 2021 American Hero Dog.

Every year, communities from accross the country come together in support of fantastic, exceptional and heroic dogs. If there’s a special dog in your life that deserves some recognition, nominate them by visiting www.HeroDogAwards.org today!