Harrisburg City K-9 Officer Zeke to Receive the Wodan Animal Hero Award from the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association Friday

HUMMELSTOWN, Pa., Aug. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, August 16, Harrisburg City K-9 Officer Zeke, who was shot in the line of duty, will be awarded the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association's (PVMA) Wodan Animal Hero Award during its annual Hall of Fame dinner.  On March 15, Zeke, handler Corporal Ty Meik, and other officers were in pursuit of a suspect wanted for an assault and shooting. The suspect led officers on a chase through a wooded area and eventually shot Zeke in the neck, injuring his external jugular and another vein. Treated at Rossmoyne Animal ER/Trauma Center in Lower Allen Township by Dr. Mark Meyerhoff and his team, Zeke has made a full recovery.

The Wodan Animal Hero Award was created in 2001 to recognize the courageous and heroic acts of Pennsylvania animals in the preservation and protection of animal or human life. The award was named after its inaugural recipient, Wodan, a Harrisburg City K-9 officer who was shot four times while trying to apprehend a suspect with his handler, Officer Michael Lamonto. Even gravely wounded, Wodan was still able to protect his fellow officers and detain the suspect until the officers could apprehend him.

Dr. Mark Meyerhoff will also be receiving the PVMA Veterinarian of the Year Award that evening in recognition of the lifesaving measures he performed on Zeke and his creation of the Animal Emergency Fund to help those in need afford emergency care for their pets.

The awards dinner will begin at 6:30pm on Friday, August 16 in the Nigerian Room at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA. Media are welcome at the event. If you are interested in attending this event, contact Lori Raver at 717.433.2746 or by email at [email protected].

The Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) is the only statewide professional organization of over 2,200 veterinarians from across the Commonwealth. The association, which was established in 1883, strives to advance animal welfare and human health while ensuring the vitality of the veterinary profession. PVMA's website is available at www.pavma.org.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA)