TAMPA, Fla. — A courageous canine from Tampa is in the running to become America's 2024 Hero Dog.
American Humane officially announced the top 25 semi-finalists in its annual Hero Dog Awards. Justice, a six-year-old black Lab, is one of the top five dogs in the "service dog" category.
The four-legged champion came into her owner's life in February 2020, according to a press release. At the time, handler Mike was in a dark place, "nearly becoming one of the '22' veterans lost to suicide daily."
Mike was a dedicated Air Force veteran who served until 1995, including Desert Storm, and later became a law enforcement officer for over two years, according to American Humane. He was eventually forced into medical retirement in 2016 due to Parkinson-like tremors, and he suffered from severe depression, anxiety and PTSD.
But then, Justice came along.
"With her by his side, he began to reclaim his life, even celebrating the birth of his first grandchild," the press release stated. "Now, Justice and her partner are committed to helping others overcome PTSD and embrace the healing power of service dogs."
People across the U.S. can vote for their favorite four-legged champion until Oct. 9 on the Hero Dog Awards website.
