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Sometimes, life will take you places you don’t expect, but totally deserve.
We can say the same for Harper when her life took a 180 degree turn – from being a neglected dog rescued by an animal shelter, to being a disaster search dog, and now to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Dog Of The Year.
The ASPCA unveiled Harper as its 2024 Humane Awards Dog Of The Year recipient on September 18 along with this year’s other heroic winners.
As this year’s Dog Of The Year award recipient, ASPCA shares what made Harper the cream of the crop.
According to ASPCA, Harper is a Black Labrador mix and was one of the 22 dogs confiscated in a hoarding and neglect case years ago.
He was initially placed with the Humane Society of the Black Hills in South Dakota before being accepted into the Search Dog Foundation (SDF)’s program on January 2020.
ASPCA revealed that SDF is “an organization whose mission is to strengthen disaster response in America by rescuing and recruiting dogs and partnering them with firefighters and other first responders to find people buried alive in the wreckage of disasters.“
They further revealed that SDF determined that among the 22 dogs rescued from neglect, Harper “showed great potential for becoming a disaster search dog.“
Harper then became a candidate in the pilot program to train to become a Human Remains Detection (HRD) canines for California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2).
According to ASPCA, “CA-TF2 is the West Coast’s only internationally deployable task force comprised of physicians, HAZMAT specialists, rescue specialists and canine search specialists.“
And harper was one of the three HRD canines for the task force and she graduated with flying colors on May of 2021.
After graduation, Harper was paired with firefighter Edward Ruiz of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
CA-TF2, including Harper and Ruiz, trained diligently until they achieved FEMA certification on July 2022.
After Harper’s certification as a disaster search canine in 2022, she and Ruiz have been helping save lives and bringing closure to loved ones.
ASPCA reveals that the pair have been deployed multiple times, including to Hurricane Ian in Florida in 2022 and more recently to the Lahaina fire in Hawaii.
“Alongside nearly 40 other canine teams, they searched through ash and debris for those lost in the devastating wildfire that swept through the Lahaina community on Aug. 8, 2023,” ASPCA wrote.
Hoomans saw the potential Harper had in her all those years ago and she has proved to them, time and time again, that she is a talented, dedicated, and hardworking dog capable of helping save lives.
And for her countless contributions, the ASPCA honored her with an award only the goodest of girls and boys deserve – the ASPCA Dog Of The Year award.
Matt Bershadker, President and CEO of the ASPCA said, “Our 2024 ASPCA Humane Award honorees are supporting vulnerable animals and elevating critical protections across the country, exemplifying the ASPCA’s vision of a compassionate nation where all animals are treated with respect and kindness.”
“From working on the frontlines of disasters, to advocating on behalf of animals who are unable to do so for themselves, this year’s Humane Award recipients are heroes and we are grateful for their service,” he added.
The 2024 Humane Awards by the ASPCA honors “both people and animal heroes from across the country who have gone above and beyond to bring attention to animal welfare and better the lives of those around them.”
Harper, along with other honorees, will be formally celebrated for their outstanding contributions at a luncheon in New York City on Thursday, October 10.
