An 18-month-old bloodhound named Bo with the Gastonia Police Department in North Carolina was recently honored as the 2024 American Humane Hero Dog. Along with his handler, Sergeant David Rowland, Bo received the award in recognition of his impressive work solving cases and rescuing individuals. Rowland says he was grateful to be along for the ride. “I was just blessed to be up here with Bo,” he recalls, “To just … tell our story and what Bo has accomplished.”
Bo won the Hero Dog title after competing against 25 dogs, with four other finalists recognized in categories like military, service, therapy, and shelter dogs. Robin Ganzert, CEO of American Humane, celebrated the nominees, calling them “all winners” for their exceptional contributions. The K-9’s achievements, including tracking missing individuals, distinguished him from the other nominees, highlighting his valuable role in law enforcement.
Since joining the force at eight months old, Bo has assisted in locating vulnerable individuals, like an 11-year-old child with autism and an elderly patient with dementia. His heroic acts have also included finding a seven-year-old child who’d been abducted at knifepoint. He’s the first bloodhound to join the Gastonia Police and his keen tracking skills have proven invaluable to his community.
Source: TODAY