Axel the German shepherd was sleeping on a hard floor in an animal shelter, where he was scheduled to be “put down” in one week. Marine Corps Capt. Jason Haag was sleeping in the basement of his house with a gun under his pillow because he suffers from post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.
The dog and the soldier found each other in 2012 with the help of K9s for Warriors.The dog and the soldier saved each other, and now Axel is one of eight recipients of the 2015 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards, winning in the service dog category.
They live in Fredericksburg, Va., where Axel is always at the side of Capt. Haag, who retired after serving two combat tours in the Middle East.
Mr. Haag suffered from “a constant state of severe depression,” anxiety and alcohol abuse. Now Axel calms his partner and moves him out of situations that cause panic attacks.
Axel is not the top winner in the annual contest, where every dog’s story is amazing. The public cast more than 1 million votes, celebrity dog lovers and experts were consulted, and “a tiny Chihuahua named Harley” from Berthoud, Colo., was named this year’s most courageous canine, beating out 170 other heroic hounds and capturing the title of American Hero Dog, according to the official news release.
Each of the eight heroes earns a $1,000 award for their charity partner. Axel’s is Dogs on Deployment. Harley gets an additional $5,000 for his partner, New Leash on Life.
Harley won in the emerging hero category, for “ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things.” For 10 years, he lived in a small cage in a puppy mill, where he was used for breeding. Harley has only one eye because someone once power-washed his cage while he was still in it.
His “Harley to the Rescue” campaign has provided veterinary care for more than 500 puppy mill dogs in the past two years. He personally goes on rescue missions.
“There is something indescribable in the way he communicates with the sad and scared dogs,” according to the American Humane Society. He visits schools and events where he “has educated thousands of people about the horrors of the commercial dog breeding industry.”
Winners in the other categories are:
Therapy Dogs: Hudson, a pit bull mix, was just 3 weeks old when he was found nailed to railroad tracks in Albany, N.Y. One of his hind leg paws had been cut off. Rescuers fitted him with a prosthetic paw, and the family that adopted him trained him for therapy visits.
Hudson visits schools, hospitals, adult day-care facilities and hospice patients in Castleton, N.Y. He brings “smiles to everyone he meets ... changing hearts and minds about the pit bull breed.” Charity partner: Hand in Paw.
Guide and Hearing Dogs: Chara, a Norwegian elkhound, was trained to help a woman in Waynesboro, Va. Two weeks after Chara’s handler gave birth, the infant developed a severe cold. Unknown to the hearing-impaired mom, the baby stopped breathing. Chara alerted her and the boy was saved. Charity partner: Guide Dog Users Inc.
Military Dogs: Rambo, a German shepherd, was an explosive detection dog in the Marine Corps from January 2011 to April 2012. He worked 622 missions out of the Cherry Point, N.C., base and in the local community.
Medically retired with a left shoulder injury, he later had to have a front leg amputated. He and handler Lisa Phillips live in Converse, Texas, where he visits dementia patients in nursing homes and children with special needs. He accompanies World War II veterans to Washington, D.C.
Rambo attends military funerals,and makes several visits each year to the grave of Army Lt. Col. Daniel Edward Holland, a veterinarian who was Ms. Phillips’ commander. After he was killed in action in 2006, the Department of Defense renamed a facility in his honor, the LTC Daniel E. Holland Military Working Dog Hospital. Charity partner: America’s VetDogs, the Veteran’s K-9 Corps.
Search and Rescue Dogs: Glory uses her keen bloodhound nose to find hundreds of lost pets. A resident of Sun Valley, Calif., Glory tracks in extreme temperatures and in difficult conditions, including across freeways. Charity partner: National Search Dog Alliance.
Law Enforcement Dogs: Police Officer Chris Alberini of Ashland, Mass., says his German shepherd K-9 saved his life. Dax alerted his partner that the armed suspect they were seeking was hiding in the attic. Officer Alberini hoisted Dax up through a ceiling hatch. The dog bit the suspect’s leg and fought with him. When the suspect reached for his shotgun, Officer Alberini shot him twice. Charity partner: K9s4COPS.
Arson Dogs: Glory, a Labrador retriever, is certified to detect substances used to intentionally set fires. She mostly works in and around her home base in Beloit, Wis., but also travels.
“With firefighters and paramedics dealing with situations that affect them emotionally, she has the ability to sense who is having a rough day and will spend time with them, which helps relieve their stress,” according to the press release.
Glory visits schools, clubs and organizations to teach people about fire safety and fire prevention. Charity partner: Project Paws Alive.
Go to www.americanhumane.org and click on the News button to see pictures and bios of all the dogs. The awards ceremony will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Oct. 30 on the Hallmark Channel.
Pet Expo
The Steel City Pet Expo is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. next Saturday at the Monroeville Convention Center, 209 Mall Plaza Blvd.
Parking is free, and you can bring your pets. Tickets are $5 at the door. Kids under 10 get in for free.
The Ultimate Pet Costume Contest starts at 11 a.m. The grand prize is $1,500.
Many vendors will sell products and rescue groups will have adoptable animals. Look for demonstrations, free nail trims and free advice.
Go to www.steelcitypetexpo.com for a complete listing of events and activities.
Pooch Parade
A 1-mile walk starts at 10 a.m. Sunday at the South Park dog park, with registration at 9 a.m. Look for the Harbor and Ethelbert shelters, Maple Spring Drive, 15219.
The $25 fee for one walker and one dog gets you a T-shirt, goody bag and dog bandanna. Limit is two dogs per person, with a fee of $10 for the second dog. Registration is $15 for one person, no dog.
The event features a costume contest, prizes for top fundraisers, free Halloween candy for kids, raffles and silent auction.
Proceeds benefit the Myasthenia Gravis Association of Western Pennsylvania. Event partner South Hills Interfaith Ministries asks paraders to bring a pet food donation for the food pantry.
Pet Tales appears weekly in the Saturday Magazine. Contact Linda Wilson Fuoco on her Facebook page, lfuoco@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3064.
First Published: October 23, 2015, 4:56 p.m.