The AKC Paw of Courage SM is an honor bestowed upon dogs in recognition of their contributions to humanity. This award honors canines who serve their communities and have a significant impact on their human counterparts.
Police K-9s, Military Working Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Service Dogs, and other dogs that work to make the lives of those around them safer, easier, or simply happier can get a Paw of Courage award. In recognition of COVID-19, we are awarding the AKC Paw of Courage to two outstanding teams of dogs who have made a
difference throughout the nationwide pandemic.
Loki, the “Dogtor”
Caroline Benzel, a medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, owns “Dogtor” Loki, a two-year-old Rottweiler who works as a therapy dog. Loki is bringing care packages and smiles to medical personnel fighting the COVID-19 outbreak on the front lines.
When in-person therapy visits were halted due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Caroline and Dogtor Loki used their electronic gadgets to continue their therapeutic work electronically.
Caroline watched the physicians and nurses becoming agitated from the continual usage of personal protective equipment during the virtual visits and realized she had to act.
With Loki’s aid, she began putting together care packages, which she refers to as ‘hero healing kits,’ and distributing them to front-line personnel. The dynamic duo has personally distributed over 5,500 kits, and the initiative has gained traction across the country, with similar programs launching in eight other states.
Caroline and Loki have gathered more than $80,000 for frontline workers’ kits, personal protective equipment, food, and supplies through wonderful donations.
The GO TEAM
The GO TEAM is an organization of over 600 handler/therapy dog teams who work all across the United States and Italy. During times of crisis, such as shootings, suicides, floods, fires, and significant disasters, these teams have volunteered alongside first responders and firemen.
In addition, teams have paid special visits to a variety of schools, colleges, hospices, hospitals, and other special occasions.
Many teams around the country had to adjust their typical routines during the COVID-19 epidemic. Virtual Paws2Read sessions were conducted by several therapy teams in collaboration with instructors, and many therapy teams initiated virtual therapy visits with their patients.
Some have also made surprise visits to senior living facilities, fire stations, graduations, and birthday parties. The therapy dogs from the Go Team have distributed hundreds of trading cards with images and information on each dog, and many are currently putting together care packages with vital goods to bring to seniors who may be unable to leave their homes. As the country gradually opens, the Go Team is planning their future visits according to city-imposed COVID guidelines.
The Go Team therapy dogs have been providing comfort and relief to people all around the United States and beyond during this difficult period.
Canine Heroes Are Honored
“We are pleased to present the AKC Paw of Courage medals to ‘Dogtor’ Loki and the Go Team Therapy Dogs”, stated AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. “These canine heroes bring comfort and joy to people through difficult times and these awards allow us to honor the crucial work they do.”
Jackson, an eight-year-old Golden Retriever owned by Bob Wharton, Molly, a ten-year-old Vizsla owned by Connie Priesz, and Phoebe, a ten-year-old Belgian Tervuren owned by Dr. Pamela Regan were among the other 2020 Paw of Courage recipients.
These therapy dogs have all adjusted to the changing times as a result of the global epidemic and continue to provide comfort to those who are suffering. An AKC Paw of Courage can be given to any dog; the honor is not limited to purebreds. Police K-9s, Military Working Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Service Dogs, and other dogs that work to make the lives of those around them safer, easier, or simply happier can get a Paw of Courage award.
