Calling All Courageous Canines And Heroic Hounds! Nominations Open Today For The 2014 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™

Win a trip to Hollywood, honor your dog in national media, and help support charities working with dogs

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For thousands of years, dogs have protected us, comforted us, and given us their unconditional love.  Now you can repay the favor to our best friends, win a trip to Hollywood, and help charities who work with dogs with critically needed funds – just by clicking on www.herodogawards.org today through February 28 and nominating your courageous canine for the 2014 "American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™."

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

Presented by the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation, and carried to more than 1 billion people around the world by thousands of media, the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards seek to identify and recognize America's Hero Dogs – ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things, whether it's saving lives, lending a comforting paw when we're sick, or just welcoming us home at the end of a hard day.

Dogs may be nominated in eight categories: Law Enforcement Dogs, Military Dogs, Arson Dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs, Guide/Hearing Dogs, Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, and Emerging Hero Dogs (for ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things). This year 24 spectacular semifinalists (the top three in each category) will be chosen in the first round of public voting. The second round, featuring a combination of public and celebrity voting, will narrow the field to the eight category finalists, who will then compete for the grand prize of 2014 American Hero Dog.

Finalists in each of the eight categories will be flown to Hollywood with two of their human friends to the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™ gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California on September 27, 2014.  There they will walk the red carpet, conduct VIP interviews, and attend the awards show and black-tie gala where the winning American Hero Dog for 2014 will be announced. Each of the eight finalists will win $1,500 for their chosen charity selected from the contest's list of 15 charity partners. The top winner will win an additional $5,000 for their charity partner.

"For thousands of years, dogs have been a vital part of our lives, but it wasn't until a few years ago that American Humane Association stepped up to officially recognize the amazing work these dogs do every day," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, American Humane Association's president and CEO. "Hero dogs do so much to keep us safe, happy, and healthy. It is the least we can do to honor them on their special night every fall. We can't wait to meet the 2014 class of Hero Dogs."

This star-studded event draws dog lovers and celebrities from all over the world. Celebrity presenters and the celebrity judges who work with the public on the final two rounds of voting to determine the semi-finalists and winner have included Victoria Stilwell, Betty White, Whoopi Goldberg, Joey Lawrence, Miranda Lambert, Kristin Chenoweth, and many, many more. Even celebrity dogs are getting involved: "I believe all dogs are heroes!" says American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards National Spokesdog Super Smiley, who with handler, actress, and "The Pet Lifestyle Coach®" Megan Blake have their own show on Pet Life Radio and advocate to get shelter pets adopted. "When you look in your dogs eyes, I bet you see a hero lookin' right back! Nominate your best friend today! I'll be watchin' for them!"

Key dates for the 2014 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards include:

• January 15-February 28: Nominations open
• March 7-June 6: Semifinalist voting
• June 13-June 30: Finalist voting
• July 7-September 15: Grand prize 2014 American Hero Dog voting

"There is nothing better than a dog to provide warmth, comfort and often life-saving care for people," added Lois Pope. "It has been my honor to serve as the presenting sponsor of the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards for the past three years because of the important place dogs have in all our hearts. Each and every one of these brave canines and their owners are heroes in my book."

More information about the 2014 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™, including complete contest rules and entry information, can be obtained by visiting www.herodogawards.org.

NO  PURCHASE OR DONATION IS REQUIRED AND PURCHASE OR DONATION WILL NOT INCREASE THE ODDS OF WINNING.  Entrants must be 18 or over and must reside in one of the 50 states of the United States or Washington DC.  Sponsored by American Humane Association, which can be contacted at 1400 16^th Street, NW, Suite 360, Washington DC 20036.  Void where prohibited.  Contest begins at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on January 15, 2014 and ends at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on September 15, 2014.  Odds of winning a prize will be determined by the number of valid entries received during the nomination period (between 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on January 15, 2014  and 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on February 28, 2014), public votes and decisions of judges.  Official Rules are located at http://www.herodogawards.org/rules.  Entries may be made either online at http://www.herodogawards.org/ or by mail postmarked on or before February 28, 2014 and received by American Humane Association no later than March 4, 2014 (entry form for mailed entries may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped #10 business envelope to: American Humane Association, 2014 Hero Dog Awards Contest Entry Form Request, 11530 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604).   Semi-Finalists (top three in each of eight (8) categories) will be determined by the highest number of valid online public votes (for each voter, one vote per category per day) at http://www.herodogawards.org/ between 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on March 7, 2014 and 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on June 6, 2014.  Eight finalists/category winners (top one in each category) will be determined, from among the twenty-four (24) semi-finalists by a combination of valid online public votes (for each voter, one vote per day) at http://www.herodogawards.org/ between 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on June 13, 2014  and 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on June 30, 2014 (49%) and voting of judges selected by American Humane Association (51%) on criteria set forth in the Official Rules.  A grand prize winner will be determined, from among the eight (8) category winners by a combination of valid online public votes (for each voter, one vote per day) at http://www.herodogawards.org/ between 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on July 7, 2014  and 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET on September 15, 2014 (49%) and voting of a panel of judges selected by American Humane Association (51%) on criteria set forth in the Official Rules.  Each of the eight (8) category winners will receive travel and 2 nights lodging to participate in the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™ event and $1,500 will be awarded to his/her designated charity partner (total ARV $6,500 each prize), and an additional $5,000 will be awarded to the Grand Prize Winner's designated charity partner (ARV $5,000).  Total ARV of all prizes is $57,000.

About American Humane Association
American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable 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. American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

About Lois Pope, The Lois Pope LIFE Foundation, Inc., and LIFE (Leaders in Furthering Education)
Lois Pope is one of America's leading philanthropists and humanitarians. Through her various charitable mechanisms, including the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation, Inc., she is devoted to saving lives, helping people help themselves, improving the quality of life for families in need and encouraging young Americans to become leaders by helping others. Her foundations also provide awards for medical research, college scholarships, humanitarian relief, the performing arts, and animal welfare. Among the many organizations that benefit from her leadership are American Humane Association; the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation, which she founded to spearhead the development of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, the nation's first and only permanent public tribute to the three million living disabled American veterans and the thousands who have died; the University of Miami, where her major contribution endowed the Lois Pope LIFE Center, the top catastrophic neurological research facility in the world and home to the renowned Miami Project to Cure Paralysis; Leaders in Furthering Education, which has provided a summer camp experience for more than 15,000 disadvantaged and special needs children, as well as college scholarship support to dozens of disadvantaged high school students who aspire to careers as physicians/researchers; Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's Red Cross, for new ambulances; and the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League for a new mobile pet adoption unit. A mother and a grandmother, Lois has trained for and completed five New York City Marathons. For more information about LIFE visit www.life-edu.org.

SOURCE American Humane Association