Celebrated dog trainer Sara Carson and her sidekick Hero are excited to be on the brink of another prestigious honour.
The former North Bay resident and finalist on America's Got Talent says she's hoping a seven-year dream may soon come true.
The 25-year-old now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and fellow dog-trainer John Devine.
"I always wanted Hero to go to the American Humane Hero Dog Awards.
"It’s pretty exciting that Hero received enough votes to make it into the semi-finals! It almost feels like we are on America's Got Talent again!" she said on social media. "If he wins his category we will be attending the gala and be in the running to win the overall Hero Dog Award!
"Thank you so much for all the amazing support!"
Carson has had great support from fans in the North Bay area, but unfortunately, we can't help this time. You can only vote if you are a U.S. resident.
The website says "The American Humane Hero Dog Awards is an annual, nationwide competition that searches out and recognizes America’s Hero Dogs – often ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things, whether it’s saving lives on the battlefield, lending sight or hearing to a human companion, or simply providing the tail-wagging welcome a pet owner relishes at the end of a hard day."
"Hero entered my life when I was 17 years old," says Carson. "I was anti-social, had family issues, and didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I was not planning on making him my service dog until I realized how much he could help me. Working through ongoing medical issues and pushing me to overcome some hurdles, he gave me a future I was excited about. Together we have traveled to every state in the USA, performed on the largest stages and most importantly he became the Hero I truly needed."
Hero and Carson placed fifth on America’s Got Talent in 2017.
See: They did it! Sara and Hero off to the finals of America's Got Talent!
And: Catching up with North Bay's Sara Carson - and her dog Hero - in the USA during COVID
"We have been using our platforms to help educate and bring awareness to service dogs. I am so thankful that Hero is such a stable dog and has been able to handle other dogs in public. Hopefully, as we continue to educate we can make a difference.
"Going into his eighth year with me, he is starting to slow down and I am having to make the hard decision to retire him. I am hoping that our last working year together can be as memorable as the past eight amazing years.
"Everyone Needs a Hero & I’m so glad I found mine."
Voting closes July 16.
Winners in each of seven categories are honored on Hallmark Channel’s nationwide broadcast of the American Humane Hero Dog Awards this October.
