A police K-9 has been awarded for serving his community and keeping them safe thanks to his incredible nose.
Bo, an 18-month-old bloodhound from North Carolina, was dubbed the winner of the 2024 American Humane Hero Dog Awards on Friday during an appearance on the Today show.
The police dog works with Gastonia Police Department Sergeant David Rowland, who is proud to have such a special partner:
The officer said, “I didn’t think we were going to win, I was just blessed to be up here with Bo, the American Humane, to just, you know, to tell our story and what Bo has accomplished in our community and the amazing nose of a bloodhound.”
Rowland was seen waving Bo’s large ear moments before the winner was announced as they stood beside other finalists:
The crowd erupted in applause when Bo’s name was called. The bloodhound got lots of pets from Sergeant Rowland, who had a big smile on his face.
“From selfless service to unwavering dedication, Bo has truly earned this honor, inspiring us all with his bravery. Join us in celebrating Bo and all our Hero Dog finalists!” the awards organization wrote in a social media post:
According to Today, Bo has helped solve crimes and saved lives since he was very young, and he is the first bloodhound to work with the department.
An image shows him as a puppy when he was growing into his large ears:
During his time with the agency, Bo has located missing children and elderly neighbors, one of whom suffered from dementia.
According to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) website, bloodhounds have an interesting history:
Bloodhounds, as we know them, were perfected in Western Europe about a thousand years ago. Credit for the careful development of the breed goes to high-ranking members of the pre-Reformation church. In medieval times, when even bishops rode to hounds, many prominent princes of the church maintained packs of hounds on the grounds of the well-funded monasteries of England and France. So careful were the monks charged with executing the bishop’s breeding program that their hounds came to be known as ‘blooded hounds’ – ‘blooded’ meaning ‘of aristocratic blood.’
During the centuries since, the noble Bloodhound has earned a reputation as a man-trailer without equal. Police departments around the world have relied on these muscular, single-minded hounds to follow the scent of humans – maybe a criminal, a lost child, or a confused senior. An assignment might last all day and night, over hills and through swamps, but Bloodhounds won’t give up until they follow the trail to the end. Even in these days of high technology, no scenting device yet invented is as accurate as the Bloodhound’s nose.
The AKC also described bloodhounds as being independent, friendly, and inquisitive.