DOG’S HALLl OF FAME

Barry – The St. Bernard

This canine hero lived at the Hospice of St. Bernard in the Swiss Alps, where his job was to find and rescue travelers lost in the snow. Barry was exceptionally good at his job – in 12 years, he saved the lives of over 40 people. Barry died in 1814 at the age of 14 years.

Igloo – Explorer Dog

This fox terrier was the pet of Admiral Richard Byrd, the famous Arctic and Antarctic explorer. Byrd took Igloo with him when he became the first person to fly over the South Pole (1926) and the North Pole (1928).

Lassie – Popular Canine Character

This brave, loyal, and super-smart collie first appeared in a 1940 book. Lassie Come Home. In 1943 the book was made into a movie, followed by several other Lassie films. Then came a radio series, then a TV series in 1954 and was on the air until 1971. Several collies played the part of Lassie on TV.

Laika – Traveler in Space

In 1957 the Soviets launched this female Samoyed husky into space. She was the first “animalnaut” to orbit the earth. At that time, the Soviets had no way of bringing satellites back to earth, so Laika was painlessly put to death by remote control.

Jet – 1988 Dog Hero of the Year

Jet is a black-and-tan female Doberman Pinscher. When Jet’s owner, a diabetic, fainted, the dog nuzzled the door open, ran to a gate in a four-foot-high fence, opened the latch, and ran to a next-door neighbor’s house to summon help. Alerted by Jet’s furious barking, the neighbor called 911, and paramedics arrived in time to save the life of Jet’s mistress.
Other winners of Dog Hero of the Year Medal have included a cocker spaniel who saved a three-year-old boy from drowning; a collie who herded 70 goats to safety from a burning barn; a St. Bernard who battled and chased away a grizzly bear; and a miniature poodle who successfully alerted the seven sleeping members of her household to a fire.

Buddy – The First Seeing-Eye Dog

Many blind people have pet dogs that are especially trained to guide and protect them. The first Seeing-Eye dog was a German shepherd named Buddy, who was trained by his owner, Morris Eustis, in Switzerland in 1920.