Nominations open for 2nd Annual Hero Dog Awards; 2011 event replays Friday

Following the success of the recent American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards, held in October and broadcast last month on Hallmark Channel, nominations are now open for the second annual installment of the program, which will again air on Hallmark Channel next fall. Dog lovers can visit herodogawards.org to nominate heroic canines in any one of eight categories: Law Enforcement/Arson; Service; Therapy; Military; Guides; Search and Rescue; Hearing; and Emerging Hero Dogs, a category reserved for “ordinary” pets that do extraordinary things. After all nominations are in, each category will be narrowed down to one finalist through online voting. The eight category winners (and their human companions, of course) will be flown to Los Angeles for the main event, the 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards, held Oct. 6, 2012 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Hallmark Movie Channel will be re-airing the 2011 event, which was hosted by Carson Kressley, this Friday, Dec. 23, at 8pm ET/PT.