A Massachusetts police K-9 has been awarded a heroic honor for tracking down a missing 12-year-old and reuniting him/her with his/her family.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) gave three-year-old Biza of the Auburn Police Department its distinguished DOGNY Paw of Courage Award after she made that amazing rescue in February, People reports.
Biza and her partner, Officer David Ljunggren, followed the missing child’s scent for “two miles” before finding the child, who had been gone for more than two hours, an AKC press release states.
“Biza is a dual purpose K9 who is nationally certified through the North American Work Dog Association on patrol functions and narcotics,” the organization stated. “Patrol functions include obedience, building searches, area searches, evidence recovery, aggression control/handler protection and human tracking.”
The AKC added that the hero pooch “enjoys long walks, playing fetch and swimming.”
The DOGNY Paw of Courage Award “demonstrates appreciation for the work that dogs do in the service of humankind.”
The organization also honored another K-9, Vishu, of Illinois.
“These two canines have demonstrated their dedication and commitment to keeping their communities safe every day,” AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo said. “The American Kennel Club is proud to honor these two incredibly deserving canines, K9 Vishu and K9 Biza.”
