And Then There Were Eight

Each Hero Dog finalist, selected from a field of more than 400 nominated dogs, represents the best in eight dog hero categories:

Law Enforcement/Arson Dog
Sadie, a black Labrador Retriever from Colorado who has investigated more than 400 fires.

Service Dog
Zurich, a yellow Labrador Retriever from Illinois who has served his owner since 2004.

Therapy Dog
Stacey Mae, a Greater Swiss Mountain dog from Colorado who collects teddy bears and stuffed animals (some 2,000 so far!) for kids in the hospital.

Military Dog
MWD Bino C152, a Dutch Shepherd from New Mexico who has served in Iraq as well as special missions with the U.S. Border Patrol in the war on drugs.

Guide Dog
Roselle, a Labrador Retriever who guided her owner safely down 1,463 stairs at the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Search and Rescue Dog
K-9 Sage, a disaster and human remains specialist based in New Hampshire. Border Collie Sage has worked numerous disasters, including the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Hurricane Katrina.

Hearing Dog
Harley, a mutt from Arizona, gives his hearing impaired owner confidence and a “feeling of equality with others.”

Emerging Hero (regular pets doing extraordinary things)
Ricochet, a California dog’s knack for surfing has helped raise some $80,000 for animal and children’s charities.

Now the public will have the opportunity to choose the Grand Prize-winning American Hero Dog, during voting through Sept. 30. A celebrity panel that includes Victoria Stilwell, Betty White, Whoopi Goldberg, Kristin Chenoweth and Jillian Michaels will also weigh in.

The winner will be announced at the Hero Dog Awards celebrity gala at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles on Oct. 1. The show will be televised on the Hallmark Channel during a 90-minute special on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

To meet each of the finalists and to vote for the American Hero Dog here.