Four dogs have been honoured in Quebec for roles outside the home, including providing support in homeless shelters and helping to solve crime.
The canines — Argon, Monty, Hestia and Tango — were inducted Friday into the provincial animal hall of fame, which is in its 25th year.
The pups took centre stage at the event hosted by the Association des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (AMVQ) in Montreal. The furry friends were honoured one at a time by the veterinary association.
MIRA dog Argon works at Montreal’s Maison du Père, a shelter for homeless men alongside André, her partner and handler. The Saint-Pierre Labernois pup not only provides comfort to those in need, she specializes in defusing crises.
Outside the shelter, Argon also works her magic with an intervention team that patrols the city’s public transit system to help the unhoused and other vulnerable Montrealers. She was recognized in the hall of fame’s professional category.
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Monty the German Shepherd was also honoured for his professional pursuits. The five-year-old dog works with Montreal police and is known for his bravery on the job.
Monty was stabbed while helping his colleagues locate a suspect during a high-risk police operation in May 2021. The AMVQ says he “certainly prevented serious or life-threatening injuries” to his fellow officers at the scene, and helped ensure an arrest. He has since recovered and still works with police.
Golden boy, Tango, is well known at a Bonventure, Que., high school. Literally the teacher’s pet, he accompanies his owner and helps students with learning difficulties. One teen reported feeling less anxious when completing schoolwork thanks to Tango.
Tango gleefully sniffed a red bone on stage to a round of applause alongside his owner, Annie Saucier-Bujold. She held his ceremonial plaque commemorating his nomination in the companionship category.
Hestia, 13, was saluted for her well-earned retirement after years of tackling fire investigations. As a trained accelerant detector, Hestia carried out about 125 warrants on the job in both Quebec and Ontario.
Aside from gracing the stage with their handlers (or co-workers), the pups are in good company too. The AMVQ has a inducted a total of 50 dogs, six cats and two horses into its hall of fame since 1998.
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