Colorado's Animal Heroes
2008 Winners

Service Award – Blu

If you had a friend by your side for every hardship, every crisis, every tear and every good laugh – wouldn’t you consider this friend the most extraordinary companion anyone could ask for? Well that is exactly how Kathleen, a victim of muscular dystrophy, feels about her best friend Blu. Blu started as Kathleen’s service dog seven years ago and he has aided her to an indefinable extent. Blu is able to pick up fallen objects, carry items (like grocery bags), put clothes in and out of washer and dryer, open and close doors, and turn lights on and off, all things that Kathleen struggles with on her own. Blu also pulls Kathleen out of bed, something she can’t do on her own, and provides companionship every hour of every day. Blu is a service animal in every way including serving his companion both physically and emotionally.

Blu isn’t just a helper for the physical tasks – his assistance goes much deeper than that. Blu is a full time friend, he consoles at the sight of tears and he seems to sense any negative emotion and immediately seeks to comfort. Blu helped take care of Kathleen’s mother when she had a stroke and Kathleen was responsible for her total care including cooking, bathing, feeding and dressing. Blu helped with everything, and at any hour of the day. Blu also eases Kathleen’s anxiety about going into public by being a positive presence and constant conversation starter. Having a disability can often be a lonely experience when in public, but Blu is able to make it a joyous and often educational one. Blu keeps a smile on the face of everyone around and is constantly loyal and eager to help. Blu is the definition of service and therefore the recipient of this year’s Service award.

Blu was nominated by Freedom Service Dogs.

Human-Animal Bond Award – Nimoy

Nimoy, although bred, raised and trained to be a guide dog, did not graduate and was returned to his raisers. This didn’t stop him though as he soon explored other successful careers. His droll expression, oddly built Labrador body and rather ordinary intelligence disguise a dog with an impressive six-year resume of achievements.

This remarkable dog has done wonders in guiding many people, young and old, through life. Nimoy is a mentor to special needs children, a therapist at Craig Rehabilitation Hospital, a comfort to blind children seeing through their fingers his soft fur and wagging tail, and a service dog for his partner Bonnie, an adult survivor of childhood polio. He is a hairy pillow, a friend who will never judge, and has a tail that wags like a room full of applause when you take your first step in rehab or read you first word aloud from a storybook. Nimoy seems to be able to sense what is needed from him in any situation, tapping into his ability to bond with any human. He switches effortlessly among his various roles whether helping his partner to regain stability at moments of weakness or obeying the slurred, whispered commands from a brain injury patient struggling to regain speech. Nimoy offers silent, gentle encouragement, almost as if he is saying: “I know you can do it – let me help.”

His nominator says “He carries in his heart a spark that is buried in the heart of all dogs, the need to share a bond with us. He is a shining example of the gift we call DOG.” He demonstrates a willingness to bridge the gap between species, the desire to initiate conversation without words and a wish to create a partnership of caring, comfort and mutual companionship between human and canine species. This uniqueness has earned Nimoy the Human-Animal Bond award.

Nimoy was nominated by Dorothy Dill and Tana Hetrick, DVM.

Hero Award – Rocky

This next award is honoring a story of courage, loyalty and excellence.
Police K-9 teams are unique partnerships dedicated to keeping communities safe and enforcing the law. A well-trained canine, Rocky, and his expert handler worked together for the good of the community in the Lakewood Police Department for 6 years.

Throughout his career, Rocky was credited with tracking and locating hundreds of criminal suspects and missing persons. One night, however, his actions as part of the Lakewood Police Department team were truly outstanding. It was the very early morning when officers got the call about a dangerous man wielding a pistol and threatening his girlfriend and his neighbor. Officers, including Rocky, were dispatched to the scene and they attempted to find the man with the gun. Eventually, the suspect’s car was located and a foot chase began. Officer Maurer, Rocky’s partner, activated the remote door on the patrol car enabling Rocky to join in the chase. Luckily, four legs are faster than two and Rocky ran full speed after the suspect who had a significant lead on the two–legged officer. Rocky disappeared into the shadows after the suspect. Moments later gun shots were heard. Following the piercing sounds, officers were able to locate the suspect. Rocky had continued to chase the man, even with a gunshot wound to the leg and had successfully apprehended the suspect and rendered him unable to continue to shoot at officers. Rocky suffered a bullet wound during the chase when the suspect shot at him from less than 3 feet away.

Rocky passed away in August after a courageous life truly demonstrating the importance of the human animal bond. Rocky’s bravery and fidelity along with the special relationship with his partner, Darren Maurer, has earned him this year’s Animal Hero award. Sadly, our brave hero passed away in August after an incredible life truly demonstrating the importance of the human animal bond.

Agent Darren Maurer, Rocky’s handler and partner said had this to say when Rocky passed: "I've had some special dogs in my life but none of them come close to the relationship Rocky and I shared," said Maurer. "My hero died in my arms last night."
I think that says it all.

Rocky was nominated by Doug Church, President of the Colorado Police Canine Association.

Human Hero Award – Nick Fisher and the PHAT program

The nominator for this next award stated the following: “After reading many definitions of “hero” the following words seemed most appropriate when describing Nick Fisher – any person admired for qualities or achievements and regarded as an ideal or model. Nick is a hero to many animals and an entire community for his initiation and work with the PHAT program at Table Mountain Animal Center.

The PHAT program – Psychology, Health and Training - began in 2006 to help rehabilitate dogs that have been living in the shelter for more than a month; many of a breed or mix that often gets shunned by the community. Many of the dogs in the program did not face euthanasia because of time and space, but because of their mental and physical well being from being housed in a kennel run for more than 30 days. Nick noticed many dogs deteriorating both mentally and physically after long stints at the shelter. In an attempt to rehabilitate these dogs, and improve their quality of life as they waited for a new home, Nick founded the PHAT program. The program is designed to help these dogs overcome depression through exercise and socialization with other dogs and instill discipline and affection into their lives. The dogs all get to go on group walks daily and have play time in a safe environment regularly. Leadership techniques, training and dedication are the building blocks to the success of this program. These animals get to learn to be a real dog.

Nick Fisher says: “By watching dog behavior in social groups we get to better understand how dogs communicate with each other and how we can enhance the bond between people and their dogs.”  Nick’s effort to teach dog owners how to establish a relationship of trust and respect with their dogs indeed makes him a hero to animals in Colorado. Our Human Hero award is earned by Nick Fisher and the PHAT program of Table Mountain Animal Center.

Nick was nominated by Jennifer Strickland.

Youth Animal Advocate Award - Grant Zeleny

Our next award winner is a young man with a very big heart.

Grant Zeleny just celebrated his 6th birthday and he clearly has a special compassion for animals and people. Grant found himself in the veterinarian’s office last fall with his very sick dog Reilly, a scary situation for a young man who loves his dog, but it wasn’t his own sadness that inspired him – it was another family’s struggle. Grant heard about a family who brought in a sick cat but could not pay for the cat to be examined and thus left in tears. His mother helped him to understand that there are people in the community who are less fortunate, but love their animals nonetheless. She emphasized how fortunate their family was to be able to afford to take care of their animals in emergency situations. 

The compassionate young boy decided he never wanted an animal to suffer or go without medical care so he was going to start saving his money to help people who couldn’t afford to help their pets. Grant makes regular donations to Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital, a non-profit animal hospital serving low income, restricted income and senior pet owners in Denver. While it may just be a culmination of his saved allowance and perhaps loose change from the couch, it is indeed a step towards a life of compassion for animals and people and a perfect example of the power of the human-animal bond. Grant, age 6, is already an advocate for animals and is a deserving recipient of the 2008 Youth Animal Advocate award.

Grant was nominated by the staff at Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital.

Colorado's Animal Heroes

2007 Winners  

Service Award – Sage

Sage is Zachary’s constant companion. The two met at Freedom Service Dogs when Zach and his family were volunteering for the organization. Zach has a disorder that falls under the umbrella of autism that makes him defensive with sight, sound and touch. For a child with these sensitivities, connecting with the world can be difficult. For Zachary, Sage is his connection.

From the time Zachary started working with Sage, a golden-retriever mix, a huge change in Zachary was noticed; he was happier, calmer, and more sociable. Now, when people approach him and ask about his dog, he has something to talk about. Since Sage arrived, Zach’s parents have seen an improvement in his social skills; he’s making more eye contact, remembering a few more names, and even initiating some conversation. Zach is even currently training Sage to run agility courses. In addition to being a positive social connection, Sage is a soft and cuddly calming force in Zach’s life. Sage’s presence helps calm Zach’s extreme anxieties and helps him unwind after a day at school. This is a huge contrast to the frequent after school meltdowns he experienced in the past. At bedtime, Sage is trained to lay right next to Zach and cuddle up against him to calm his racing mind. This deep pressure and her presence helps Zach relax so he can fall asleep.

Caring for Sage has also given Zach a sense of purpose and responsibility. He is responsible for her care and feeding, and they both love it when he sits and brushes her. In addition, Zachary’s disorganized sensory system benefits from the positive sensory input of brushing, petting and cuddling Sage and her frequent doggie kisses. With Sage’s unconditional love and her constant companionship, Zach is a much happier boy. She truly is his best friend.

Sage was nominated by Freedom Service Dogs.

Human-Animal Bond Award – Boo

Boo was born and raised a service dog by Chuck and Meg Brant. Early in his career as a certified therapy dog, Boo became a reading dog. He was welcomed into the public school systems in Cherry Creek and Denver but it was soon apparent that his talents were not being fully utilized. Boo innately selects children that seem to need him most, often those with significant developmental and physical challenges. His calmness, patience and unconditional acceptance has benefited a range of children with challenges such as Down’s Syndrome, profound stuttering, hearing impairment, deafness and autism. Boo was invited to participate in some speech and language therapy sessions, and here is one example of how he has been instrumental in the successful therapy of several children:

K, a fourth grade student with severe stuttering, was new to the school and had never volunteered to speak in class. Boo participated in K’s therapy to learn techniques and strategies for more fluent speech. Boo was the practice buddy who never criticized, but rather accepted and rewarded the smallest attempts with a wag, a lick and smiling eyes. After many practice opportunities, K was encouraged to introduce Boo to his class. K led Boo down the hall and into the fourth grade classroom. He proudly introduced his buddy and answered questions from the class with confidence and fluent speech. The bond was unconditional and the catalyst for K’s success.

A speech language pathologist who has worked with Boo had this to say about him: “I immediately saw Boo’s special connection with the students, particularly the students with behavioral struggles and academic challenges. He conveyed an unconditional acceptance of these students and powerfully communicated his support and confidence in their endeavors.”

Boo was nominated by Dr. Wendy Hauser of Coal Creek Veterinary Hospital.

Hero Award – Taz

Taz, a 3-year-old German shepherd-golden retriever mix, has always been Danelle’s best training partner when preparing for a big race. This time wouldn’t be any different. As Danelle – a two-time world champion in adventure racing, and an elite trathlete, trail runner and mountain biker – ran near the Amasa Back Trail south of Moab, she slipped on a patch of ice on Hurrah Pass and tumbled off three successive rock faces of 10 to 20 feet each. The fall left her with severe injuries including a broken pelvis – rendering her unable to walk. After the fall, Danelle crawled about a quarter-mile on her hands and knees to try to find help. During the night, she did sit-ups and kept her upper body moving to keep warm. She drank snowmelt from a puddle when the water in her hydration pack ran out and ate two packets of raspberry energy gel she had carried on the run. Taz, by Danelle’s side at every moment, slept the first night with his head on Danelle’s stomach and cuddled next to her during the below-freezing temperatures.

When Danelle didn’t return home after more than a day, a concerned neighbor called her parents in Evergreen.  Police initially searched her house for signs of foul play and notified authorities in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona about her missing vehicle. Moab police found Danelle's pickup truck at the Amasa Back trailhead at 12:30 p.m. Friday (She left for her run around noon on Wednesday). As search-and-rescue personnel arrived, a dog matching the description of Taz was seen running around the trailhead. The dog refused to be captured and instead led the rescue team on a five-mile journey to the accident site. A Grand County (Utah) Search and Rescue team on all-terrain vehicles found Danelle at about 3:30 p.m.

Curt Brewer, chief deputy with the Grand County Sheriff's Office said: "We were going to try to identify the dog, but the dog basically didn't want to be caught and instead turned around and headed back toward the trail. When that happened, the search crew decided to follow the dog. And the dog took our rescue personnel right to her"

Taz was nominated for this award by veterinarian Dr. Richard Prickett.

Youth Animal Advocate – Anna Martinez

Anna Martinez is not your typical teenager – instead of hanging out with friends, playing video games or talking on the phone, she is busy helping out animals in need. For the past year, Anna has been a standout volunteer for the Humane Society of Weld County, putting in over 500 hours on weekends and school vacation days.

In the last year, Anna as participated in nearly all of the offsite activities, including mobile adoptions, special events, 4th of July parade, fundraisers, and countless others. At just 14 years old, Anna has been trained to counsel potential pet owners on responsible pet ownership, has helped patrons locate lost animals, cleaned cages, processed animals into the shelter and has performed other kennel related activities.

Anna’s dedication and commitment to the animals at the Humane Society of Weld County is evident through her volunteer work and assistance to staff, patrons and animals. Anna was selected as the Humane Society of Weld County’s Volunteer of the Quarter this past summer. Anna’s career dream is to become a veterinary technician and she has demonstrated the initiative, motivation and reliability that will surely make her successful in whatever field she chooses.

Anna was nominated for this award by Elaine Hicks, the Executive Director of the Humane Society of Weld County.

Human Hero – Martha Smith

Our next award winner is a hero to both humans and animals in Colorado. Her dedication to animal rescue, welfare and to the community as a whole is immeasurable. Martha Smith has been president of All Breed Rescue Network (ABRN) for more than 10 years and has done hands-on rescue for many more. The All Breed Rescue Network is a network of individual breed rescue groups that work together to provide breed assistance, welfare, education and placement. Martha is also represents ABRN in the Metro Denver Shelter Alliance, the Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs, the Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies, the Colorado Alliance for Cruelty Prevention and countless other committees dedicated to improving animal welfare in Colorado.

Additionally, without her compassion and dedication, some legislation pertaining to animal cruelty would not exist. Martha has worked with Denver Senior Deputy District Attorney, Diane Balkin, on several animal cruelty cases and this is what Diane had to say about Martha:

“Martha is a tireless advocate for all beings. In the most rational and persuasive of manners, she speaks articulately for those who are not able to speak for themselves. She has an uncanny ability to recognize that her hard work and passion transcends the animal world and benefits humanity as a whole. Martha works tirelessly from her grass-roots, hands-on regular visits at poorly funded animal shelters to her spearheading legislative efforts at the State Capitol. She keeps abreast of every cause that affects the quality of life for non-human animals – no animal is too small or too old or too ill. Her volunteerism benefits animals, humans, the community and our state. The quality of life for all has been improved by her commitment. The hours she has spent cannot be measured.”

Martha has worked diligently to save lives, end suffering, inspire others to volunteer, raise money, change attitudes and modify laws – all of this for no compensation.

Diane goes on to say, “Quite simply, Martha is the human in humanitarian.”

Martha was nominated for the Human Hero award by Diane Balkin, Denver Senior Deputy District Attorney.

View past winners