Sgt. Bo Named Winner of 15th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards

The American Humane Society has announced Sgt. Bo as the winner of the 15th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards, recognizing the four-year-old mixed breed therapy dog for his extraordinary service comforting children in Nashville, Tennessee. Sgt. Bo recently retired after years of working alongside a School Resource Officer, where he became a vital source of emotional support for students during challenging times. The American Humane Hero Dog Awards is a nationwide competition that identifies and honors exceptional dogs across five categories: Therapy Dogs; Service and Guide Dogs; Military Dogs; Law Enforcement and First Responder Dogs; and Shelter Dogs.

Sgt. Bo's journey from stray to hero began when he was rescued in Florida in 2022 and later paired with Faye, a Metropolitan Nashville School Resource Officer who had advocated for a program training homeless pets as therapy dogs. Despite initial concerns about his scruffy appearance and skin allergies, the pair quickly bonded during training, with Sgt. Bo becoming Faye's trusted partner and demonstrating to students that appearances can be deceiving. The dog's most significant impact came three months after his training, following the Covenant School shooting, when he and Faye provided steady comfort and safety for students in crisis.

During the community's darkest hours, Sgt. Bo climbed onto buses, allowed frightened children to rest against him, and maintained a calming presence at reunions and school drop-offs. Dr. Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of American Humane Society, stated that Sgt. Bo and Faye have brought comfort and emotional support to many children and adults in the Nashville community during profoundly difficult times, serving as a powerful beacon of hope and safety. Sgt. Bo tore his ACL in January 2025, prompting the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to retire him, with Faye retiring soon after to remain with her canine partner.

Despite retirement, Sgt. Bo continues to visit Covenant weekly and other local schools monthly, helping shy children open up and bringing smiles to students. He now enjoys retirement with Faye and her husband while continuing to soothe people of all ages. Sgt. Bo and the four other finalists will be honored at the 15th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards and Gala on January 9 in Palm Beach, Florida. The competition involved hundreds of nominations from across the country, with five semi-finalists selected in each category before public voting narrowed the field to 25 dogs, then five finalists, with Sgt. Bo ultimately being selected as the winner during a live announcement on the TODAY Show.

The other finalists included Donald, a six-year-old Labrador Retriever in the Service and Guide/Hearing Dog category who serves as a guide dog for a military veteran and once prevented her from stepping into a construction hazard by refusing to move forward. Harrison, a two-year-old Labrador Retriever finalist in the Law Enforcement and First Responder Dog category, serves as Caldwell County's first electronics scent detection K-9, specializing in uncovering digital evidence for criminal investigations with a focus on Internet Crimes Against Children cases. K-9 Ultra, a four-year-old Dutch and German Shepherd mix finalist in the Military category, is a skilled detection dog who ensured safety during vice-presidential motorcades. Lieutenant Dan, a seven-year-old Treeing Walker Coonhound finalist in the Emerging Hero/Shelter Dog category, was born with severe limb deformities but inspires people of all abilities with his joyful spirit. For more information about the American Humane Hero Dog Awards, visit https://americanhumane.org.