2012 Texas Animal Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation (TVMF) is proud to announce the 2012 inductees into the Texas Animal Hall of Fame. The Texas Animal Hall of Fame was established by TVMF to celebrate the human-animal bond and gives veterinarians a chance to recognize outstanding patients. TVMF received nominations for induction in three different categories: hero, professional and companion. It was not an easy task for TVMF trustees to pick only one winner for each category as all of the submissions involved amazing stories.

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This year's hero category inductee is Layla Glover, a two-year-old Viszla who saved the life of her owner, Jim Glover. This past summer, Jim Glover was laying face down in the pool unconscious. Layla ferociously barked to alert Sherri, Jim's wife. Sherri immediately gave him mouth-to-mouth and prayed that EMS would arrive quickly. They did not expect Jim to live, and if he did, they suspected he would have brain damage. It was deemed a miracle when Jim came off the respirator in three days and had no brain damage. Layla gave him the 15 seconds that were a matter of life and death. She truly is a hero and a lifesaver.

This year's inductee in the professional category is Lilly Royall, a black chow mix who recently passed at nearly 12 years of age. Lilly was a self-taught service dog who touched the lives of her owner, Scott Royall, and every other person she came in contact with. Scott was born with cerebral palsy and quadriplegic spasticity and was unable to speak except with his computer-generated voice software. Adopted from an animal shelter at six months of age, Lilly stepped into the vacant spot of a service dog in training. Even though Scott was unable to give verbal commands, their ability to connect was impeccable. She had a regal, quiet devotion, and she knew instinctively what to do to assist him. Lilly passed away on August 24, 2011, when she lost her battle with metastatic cancer. There is no better way to honor such a spectacular dog than with this induction.

In the companion category, the inductee is Colonel, a black and tan German Shepherd mix. He was hit by a car and left to die when a German Shepherd rescue organization came to his aid and ultimately amputated his back leg because it was too injured to save. Now a therapy dog, Colonel provides comfort, inspiration, motivation, laughter and unconditional, nonjudgmental love for wounded warriors with burn injuries and/or military sexual trauma through the Train A Dog, Save A Warrior program. Colonel brings moments of sanity to and aids in healing for every life he touches. He also brings camaraderie to amputees because he too is an amputee. Colonel has been said to know what to do under specific circumstances, and he never ceases to choose the right action for the situation. Colonel not only is the companion to one person but to hundreds, and a better candidate could not fill the companion category

About TVMF

The Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation was established in 1978 as the charitable and philanthropic arm of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association. TVMF is dedicated to ensuring the health and welfare of animals in Texas and celebrating the human animal bond through education, public relations, research, fundraising and the development of people in the field of veterinary medicine.

Contact:
Leah Ann Tibbitts
TVMF Director
8104 Exchange Dr.
Austin, TX 78754
Email: [email protected]
512/452-4224

SOURCE Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation