Do you Know a Canine Hero? Nominate A Dog For An AKC Humane Fund Award For Canine Excellence!

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May 12, 2016, 12:16 ET

NEW YORK, May 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To celebrate the dogs who do extraordinary things in the service of humankind, the AKC Humane Fund^SM is seeking YOUR nominations for its AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE). Nominations are now open and winners will be announced in Fall 2016.

Each year, the AKC Humane Fund pays tribute to five dedicated, hardworking dogs for making significant contributions to an individual or entire community. Since the creation of the awards in 2000, 80 ACEs have been awarded to dogs of 32 different breeds and one mixed-breed dog from 28 states. Former ACE dogs have included a police K-9 who uncovered the work of a serial killer and a family pet who saved her owner from a bear attack, among dozens of other incredible pups.

"There are so many dynamic dogs to recognize with an ACE Award," said AKC Spokesperson Gina DiNardo. "These canines touch the lives and hearts of those who love them and the world around them. We are proud to honor five of them each year with an ACE Award as a symbol of our appreciation."

One award is given in each of the following five categories:

Uniformed Service K-9
Eligibility: Full-time working K-9s in the realms of city, county, state, or federal law enforcement; the military; firefighting; customs and border patrol; emergency services.

Exemplary Companion
Eligibility: Dogs without formal training or certification who have nonetheless distinguished themselves in some way that has made a meaningful contribution to the life of his owner or community.

Search and Rescue
Eligibility: Dogs certified to assist in wilderness and urban tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events and locating missing people.

Therapy
Eligibility: Certified therapy dogs working in hospitals, schools, disaster sites, war zones, and wherever else the affection of a good dog can provide comfort.

Service
Eligibility: Certified service dogs who enrich the lives of physically or mentally disabled owners. Including but not limited to guide dogs for the blind, seizure-alert dogs, hearing dogs, balance dogs.

**(Note: Nominees doing service or therapy work without certification are considered in the Exemplary Companion category.)

Honorees will receive an engraved sterling-silver medallion and an all-expenses-paid trip for dog and owner to Orlando, Florida, to be honored at the AKC National Championship in December. A donation of $1,000 will also be made in each recipient's name to the pet-related charity of their choice. The names of the five recipients will be added to the ACE plaque on permanent display in the AKC Humane Fund Library at AKC headquarters in New York City.

All entrants will receive an ACE Certificate of Recognition in acknowledgement of their nomination.

Anyone, including the dog's owner or handler, may submit a nomination form. Submissions for the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence for 2016 must include:

A non-returnable, original print or digital photograph of the dog. All digital photos must be larger than 1MB in size and a minimum of 300 dpi. The photo should feature solely the nominated dog.
A 500-word-or-less description of how the dog has demonstrated excellence.
Dog's call name, breed, age and sex.
Owner's/Nominator's name(s), address and phone number. E-mail address if available.

Nominations will be accepted through July 31, 2016 and should be submitted here, with a photo sent to [email protected], or mailed with a photo to:

ACE Awards 2016
The AKC Humane Fund
260 Madison Avenue, 4^th Floor
New York, New York 10016

For more information about the ACE awards or to download a nomination form visit the AKC website.

The AKC Humane Fund^sm, founded by the American Kennel Club^® in 2008, was created to unite a broad spectrum of animal lovers in promoting the joy and value of responsible pet ownership through education, outreach and grant-making. Through its programs, the AKC Humane Fund's goals are to: support Parent Club Rescue activities; assist shelters for domestic abuse victims that permit pets; provide resources for responsible dog ownership education; contribute to non-profit organizations that support its mission. Contributions to the AKC Humane Fund are fully tax deductible as allowed by law under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code.

The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org.

AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.

To become a fan of the AKC on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/americankennelclub. To follow the AKC on Twitter, go to http://www.twitter.com/akcdoglovers.

SOURCE AKC Humane Fund