Hugo - A Hero Dog
In 2020, the Finnish Kennel Club awards the title Sankarikoira,- Hero Dog - to 22 dogs. In addition, 18 dogs get an honourable mention for their heroic deeds. The title Sankarikoira is awarded to dogs that have significantly contributed to saving one or more human lives.
Dogs who are awarded this title have found a person in need of help and/or also have saved human lives by warning of attacks of illness and life-threatening situations, such as fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Some have even sacrificed themselves while defending people from wild animals.
This year, one of those 22 dogs was the 5½ years old Cardigan Welsh Corgi Hugo (Big-Wood's Oscar Blaketon). This spring, he alerted his owners that something weird had happened outside their home. His behaviour was so insisting that the owner went to look and found a man lying in a pool of blood. He had fallen and hit his head badly. Because of Covid-19 the streets were empty and there were not many people outside so Hugo's behaviour helped to call an ambulance in time. Thanks to Hugo, the man's life was saved.
Hugo is owned by a lovely couple, Mirva and Kimmo, and I can't express how proud I am of this clever dog who was bred by me. He also competes in obedience and Rally-O and he is also an official Care Dog and mainly visits children, elderly and disabled people in different institutions, schools and day care centers.
(The Finnish Kennel Club's Board introduced the title Sankarikoira in 1997. Sankarikoira® is a trademark registered by the Finnish Kennel Club.)
Johanna Flinck
http://www.jofli.net/bigwood/
03.11.2020
