A German Shepherd named Heidi that managed to tread water for 11 hours after her owner’s boat sank and she was able to catch the attention of a fisherman, prompting a full-scale search for the missing skipper, is just one of the finalists in the 2020 Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Canine Hero Awards.
Heidi saved her owner by alerting Sydney Water Police to her location by barking. The pup was said to be floating next to various items including a fuel tank, tackle box, and wetsuit. On discovering Heidi, rescue crews sprung into action, deploying a helicopter, four vessels, and a Jet Ski unit in an effort to track down the pup’s missing 63-year-old owner.
Every year, amongst our canine friends, hero dogs like Heidi emerge that have unique stories or have made outstanding accomplishments. This may be in helping people, bravery or transforming lives in adversity. The Awards celebrates two categories of incredible dogs. The first category is service dogs that work for a living in the military, police or other government department or as therapy dogs. The second, equally important category is for companion dogs. And each award, a cash prize of $1500, donated by the Australian Animal Registry, would buy an awful lot of dog treats.
