Nigel’s Story

From homeless to hero… that’s the journey that Nigel is on. Nigel is Irish for “Champion” and that is what he has become.

This 2 ½ year old Airedale mix was left behind when his family moved away. A kind neighbor left food out for him, but he spent the next year wandering the neighborhood and living in the woods.

A wonderful group of women decided to help. They took him to a vet, got him groomed and medically evaluated, and planned to find a home for him. When Nigel was found to have heartworms, they asked the Music City Animal Rescue in Nashville, TN to help with his treatment. These women even raised the money to pay for it. During Nigel’s treatment, the foster saw his potential for therapy dog work and decided to keep him.

Despite his past, he has an extremely calming presence around people. He enjoys being around big groups and will make sure he visits everyone who wants to love on him. He has attended church functions, nursing homes, and events for Music City Animal Rescue as an ambassador for rescue dogs. He even attended the Midnight Jamboree, a country music radio show in Nashville. The picture of Nigel is when he attended the 2017 Breakfast with Santa as Nigel Claus. He had so much fun that day and the children loved him!

Nigel will continue to be a hero and champion in the future as he will be trained as a therapy dog.

Awards, Voting and Prizes

Voting to determine the 2018 American Hero Dog is open!
From now until 12pm Pacific Time on April 25, you can vote for your favorite dog in each of the seven categories each day, for a total of seven votes each day. This round of voting will determine the top three dogs in each category!

Seven lucky finalists and their human companions will be flown to Hollywood for a star-studded awards gala, which will be broadcast nationwide on Hallmark Channel next fall. Of all the courageous canines, one dog will be awarded the grand prize American Hero Dog title. In order to cultivate the next generation of hero dogs, American Humane will donate $2,500 to each of the seven finalist’s charity partners, and the American Hero Dog will win an additional $5,000 for their charity partner!

Key dates for the 2018 American Humane Hero Dog Awards contest include:

1st Round Voting: Now until April 25, 2018
2nd Round Voting: May 16, 2018 – July 11, 2018
3rd Round Voting: July 25, 2018 – September 5, 2018
American Humane Hero Dog Awards gala event in Los Angeles – September 29, 2018

For more information about the 2018 American Humane Hero Dog Awards®, and to vote daily in the contest, please visit www.herodogawards.org.

The post Local Dog NIGEL Nominated for American Humane Hero Dog Awards appeared first on Stray Magnet | Helping Lost, Stray, and Abandoned Pets.