spcaLA Awards 25th Annual National Hero Dog Award
Los Angeles – May 8, 2007 - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) is presenting its 25th Annual National Hero Dog Award to Taz, a Shepherd mix from Moab, Utah. The ceremony, sponsored by Mellon Private Wealth Management, will be held this morning, Tuesday, May 8th at 10 a.m. at the Staples Center. The ceremony is one of two special events planned to help celebrate Be Kind to Animals Week which is May 6-12.
In December, Danelle Ballengee, a top Adventure Racer, was running on a trail in Moab, Utah with her dog, Taz. During the run, Danelle slipped on an ice patch and fell 60 feet. The fall shattered her pelvis, breaking it in four places. A cold December day, all hope seemed lost if it was not for her three-year-old Shepherd mix, Taz. Taz climbed down and stayed with Danelle, cuddling her to keep her warm. As minutes turned into hours and hours turned into days, Taz knew something more had to be done. He would leave for thirty minutes at a time, searching for help. Two days after the fall, rescuers spotted Taz. Fitting the description of Danelle’s dog, they attempted to catch him so they could identify the dog. Taz was too quick and would run away. The rescuers decided to follow Taz, who led them nearly six miles to Danelle. She was air-lifted to a local hospital and is on her way to a full recovery.
"Time and again, we see how treating your pet with love and respect is returned by amazing heroic acts by companion animals,” said spcaLA President Madeline Bernstein. "Taz knew the severity of the situation and did everything in his power to make sure his owner’s life was saved."
The National Hero Dog Award going to Taz consists of a plaque from spcaLA, travel & hotel accommodations, two spcaLA gift baskets filled with treats, books, clothes, toys and a $250 gift certificate to 1-800-PetMeds® which was graciously donated by America’s largest pet pharmacy. One of spcaLA’s newest allies, 1-800-PetMeds gives spcaLA a 10% rebate on qualified purchases by spcaLA referrals through the PetMeds® Partner Program. This year, the winner also received gift certificates to the Daily Grill Studio City and Bono’s Restaurant, which were both kindly donated by the restaurants. Danelle and Taz also received an excursion to the Long Beach Dog Zone.
For more than two decades, spcaLA has recognized the heroic efforts of a dog that is a companion animal and not formally trained for rescues or law enforcement.
About spcaLA
Celebrating 130 years, spcaLA is an independent, nonprofit animal welfare organization serving Southern California. There is no national SPCA, parent organization, or umbrella group that provides financial support to spcaLA. Donations run programs and services including Cruelty Investigation, Disaster Animal Response Team, Humane Education, and a variety of shelter services.
