America's Newest National Monument Arrives in Washington

National Fire Dog Monument Makes Debut in Capital Following 2,000-mile Tour Honoring the Four-legged (and Two-legged) Heroes Who Keep America Safe

American Humane Association Thanks State Farm for Generous Sponsorship of Effort and 20 years of Work to Keep Nation's Communities Safe from the Threat of Arson

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following a 2,000-mile, 12-city cross-country tour honoring the four-legged and two-legged heroes who keep our communities safe, America's newest national monument – the first-ever National Fire Dog Monument – arrived to a hero's welcome of its own in Washington, D.C. before taking its place with other venerable symbols of the nation's gratitude in the capital. 

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101108/DC97343LOGO )

More than 100 top officials representing America's firefighters, arson dog teams, and advocates, including the Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Marshal Bruce Faust of the Washington D.C. Fire & EMS Department, Walter Gold, executive director of the D.C. Fire and EMS Museum, and Lorraine Carli, vice president of the National Fire Protection Association, greeted the seven-foot-high, 450-pound bronze statue of a firefighter with his arson dog in a reception at the American Humane Association headquarters. The monument toured the country thanks to a generous sponsorship by State Farm, which for nearly two decades has been the only company in North America to provide funding for the acquisition and training of arson dogs in the United States and Canada.  State Farm has supported more than 300 arson dog teams in 44 U.S. states, three Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia.

The National Fire Dog Monument was sculpted by 22-year-old Colorado firefighter Austin Weishel, perhaps the youngest artist ever to have a monument erected in Washington, and pays tribute to the teamwork between humans and their canine companions in solving arson crimes. The sculpture, "From Ashes to Answers," was commissioned by Jerry Means, an arson investigation agent with the Colorado Bureau of Investigations. Means' own arson dog, Sadie, received national attention last year as the winner of the 2011 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™ in the category of Law Enforcement/Arson Dog, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvwUCOghv2A , and was a model for the sculpture.

Arson dogs – also known as accelerant detection canines – are trained to sniff out and indicate traces of petroleum products such as gasoline or lighter fluid that might have been used to start a fire. The traces are sampled and sent to a lab for identification. To become certified for the work, the dogs and their handlers undergo many weeks of professional training and must pass yearly testing to maintain their certification.

In addition to State Farm, the National Fire Dog Monument tour was sponsored by American Humane Association, which works to ensure the welfare, wellness and well-being of children and animals, and to unleash the full potential of the bond between humans and animals to the mutual benefit of both. Each year the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™ honors ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things, and has a special category of Law Enforcement/Arson Dogs. More information is available at www.herodogawards.org.  In addition to its organizational support of the nonprofit set up by Mr. Means to make this project possible, American Humane Association helped secure the support of two generous Colorado philanthropists, Fred and Jana Bartlit, to help underwrite the cost of creating the statue.

"America's first line of defense is our nation's arson dogs and we need to recognize their role in keeping us, our families, and our communities safe," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of the 135-year-old American Humane Association. "The National Fire Dog Monument is a testament to the power and value of the human-animal bond. These animals are our friends, healers, our protectors, and aids --- lending their special talents on behalf of us all. American Humane Association is so proud to share the story of these hero dogs with the larger community."

"This project puts an important spotlight on how committed men and women with the help of specially trained arson dogs work together to protect our nation and keep us safe," said David Beigie, State Farm Vice President – Public Affairs.  "We're pleased to join the American Humane Association in supporting this effort especially given that Sadie and her handler, Jerry Means, are graduates of the State Farm Arson Dog Program."

For more info and access to photos go to: http://prn.to/NOWC6s.

About American Humane Association

Since 1877 American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting children, pets and farm animals from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and society. You can help make a difference, too. Support their life-saving work by visiting www.BeHumane.org today.

About State Farm

State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.

SOURCE American Humane Association