Law Enforcement and First Responder Dogs
Celebrate dogs that protect and serve by providing critical law enforcement, rescue and detection capabilities.
2023 finalist Poppy, a Labrador Retriever with skills in detecting firearms and explosives, provides safety and connection at the University of Southern California.
Nomination Deadline: June 30, 2025
What Makes These Dogs Heroes?
Law enforcement and first responder dogs put themselves in danger every day to protect and serve their communities. This category broadly includes dogs that are critical to first responders, that safeguard the public and that find the missing and victims of disasters.
- Law enforcement dogs’ ability to help protect their human handlers, thwart lawbreakers and find evidence makes them true partners to first responders.
- Scent detections dogs can accurately detect a variety of targets, including correctly identifying a multitude of diseases and flora and fauna, and are used to detect illicit substances, drugs, fire accelerants, firearms, or explosives.
- Search and Rescue dogs are trained to find the missing, from those lost in the wilderness or city to victims of accidents and natural disasters.
Is Your Dog a Hero? Share Your Story
Share what makes your dog extraordinary by nominating them for the Hero Dog Awards. Simply pick the category that fits your dog, share their story and upload up to five of your favorite photos. We’ll select category finalists, and the public will help vote for the winner.
