If you have a brave, loyal or life-changing pup that deserves a spot in the limelight, then this is for you – nominations have just opened for Ireland’s Golden Paw Hero Dog Awards.
This annual event aims to celebrate Ireland’s bravest and brightest four-legged friends. To enter your pup (or someone else’s dog that you feel deserves an award) all you need to do is fill in an online form giving their name, age, a photo and a max of 500 words describing what makes them a ‘hero’.
And if your pup ends up getting picked, it might just be their ‘big break’ – past Golden Paw recipients have ended up on The Late Late Show, Virgin Media News and RTE’s Today to celebrate their achievements.
The final winners will be decided by a team of judges on 22nd February 2025 at a special ceremony at the Keadeen Hotel in Kildare.
In this year’s event, hosted by the Irish Kennel Club, you can nominate a dog for any of seven categories – which are:
- Life-Changing Dogs
- Therapy/Guide Dogs
- Bravery Dogs
- Search & Rescue Dogs
- Rescue/Rehomed Dogs
- Companion Dogs
- Law Enforcement Dogs
You can fill in your application form here on the Irish Kennel Club website.
The annual award ceremony started back in 2014, when a dog named Kram from Bartlemy village in Cork won in the Search & Rescue category. The young border collie was an air scenting dog who was nominated for his assistance in a major search operation in March 2013.
During the search, Kram and his handler Suzanne were led to a missing person’s vehicle and asked to comb the surrounding area. Kram kept indicating towards the vehicle’s boot however – and soon after Gardaí forced entry and located the missing person inside.
Air-scenting search dog Kram – winner of a Golden Paw Award back in 2014
(Image: Irish Search Dogs)
Marcel the Golden Retriever from Tralee in Kerry also won a Golden Paw Award back in 2022 for his work as an Ambassador for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. He has since featured on The Late Late Show, and was even able to grab a photo backstage with British actress Jane Seymour.
President Higgins former pet Bród, who sadly passed away in 2023, was also given an honorary Golden Paw Award.
Competition sponser Bernard O’Sullivan, Country Manager of Agria, said: “At Agria, our passion for dogs runs deep. Hearing inspiring stories about the bond between dogs and their owners brings us immense joy. The Hero Dog Awards recognise and reward Ireland’s most courageous and life-changing dogs and those that exemplify the ideal standards for their breeds. This is made possible through their owners’ exceptional training and care, which deserves recognition.”