Entries Sought for Heroes Awards

New Zealand Kennel Club Inc

Media Release

Entries Sought for Heroes Awards

New Zealand is looking for its third set of heroic dogs.

The ProPlan NZ Canine Heroes Awards has become a feature event at the annual NZ Kennel Club's National Dog Show.

Announcement and presentation of the third annual award winners at the 2006 national show in Palmerston North's Arena Manawatu complex on Friday September 29 will be one of the highlights of this three day event.

A Taranaki Miniature Poodle named Andre, and Murdoch, a slightly less glamorous but equally impressive Auckland mixed breed pooch, have been crowned principle winners in past years.

Both were puppies when they performed amazing life saving deeds. Andre desperately and successfully sought help for his diabetic coma-induced owner. Murdoch somehow found his severely injured owner's lost cell phone in dense bush and fading light to enable her to call for help.

Entries into the three categories of the 2006 ProPlan NZ Canine Heroes Awards are open to any person resident in NZ.

The categories are: life saving, service and pet of the year.

Exceptional deeds and actions can have occurred at any time as long as the dog is still living. Pet of the year covers achievements not associated with a life saving incident or any dog involved in official service capacity.

Prizes for the winners are: travel expenses to Arena Manawatu, gold plated medallions, certificates, books from the NZ Kennel Club and supplies of ProPlan premium dog food for a year.

This year's judging panel includes Amazing NZ Dog Stories author, Michael Romanos.

Both life saving winners from 2004 and 2005 are among the 21 stories in the Amazing Dogs book as are many of the highly commended finalists.

Entries close on Thursday, August 24. They can be obtained on the NZ Kennel Club's website www.nzkc.org.nz or by phoning Michael Romanos on (04) 528 5861 or 021 614821.

ENDS

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