Tango the Fire Safety Dog Nominated for American Kennel Club Humane Fund Award for Canine Excellence

Sept. 14, 2012 - PRLog -- The American Kennel Club Humane Fund announced that Tango the Fire Safety Dog from Clarksville, Arkansas is one of the nominees for the 2012 Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE). Established in 2000, ACE has become a valuable public-outreach program for the AKC Humane Fund as well as a source of pride among the fancy and the dog community.

Tango, a Dalmatian whose efforts have reached tens of thousands of children across the United States and throughout the world with his fire safety efforts, has been nominated in the Exemplary Companion category.

Born one month before 9/11, Tango has been helping teach fire safety to children and adults in the hopes of helping save lives, reduce injuries and fire losses. A spokes dog for the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation and fire service dog for Johnson County RFD #1 in Clarksville, Arkansas, Tango was given to Firefighter Dayna Hilton in 2008 to help with fire safety programming, after her dog, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, was unable to travel. Tango and Sparkles spent thousands of hours together, helping teach fire safety across the country, until Sparkles crossed the Rainbow Bridge in October 2010.

After Sparkles’ passing, Hilton watched as Tango became, according to Hilton, “A completely different dog.” “It was amazing to see as Tango effortlessly assumed the role that Sparkles once had. I couldn’t believe the change in him and it gave my heart great joy as I watched him help carry on the tradition of helping save lives by helping train Siren, and the newest addition to the fire safety team, Molly. Tango has been incredibly gentle with Siren and Molly and has helped mentor them to grow up to teach fire safety to children and their caregivers, just like him, and Sparkles before him.”

Tango works hard and tirelessly to help educate children and adults through the work of the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation, a public charity founded in honor of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog. In addition to appearing at events across the United States, Tango Skypes weekly to children during Sparkles’ Fire Safety Skype Tour and participates in Sparkles’ Safety Spot, a live streamed fire safety program on the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation’s SparklesTV. Tango shares his adventures and fire safety tips on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/tangothefiresafetydog) and is contributing columnist on a national column, Sparkles’ Kids Zone of Fire Engineering Magazine’s firelife.com. Tango was recently nominated for an American Humane Association Hero Dog Award, and has received other honors, including being on the cover of the summer issue of American Dog Magazine.

The winners and honorable mentions in the categories of Exemplary Companion, Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Service, and Therapy, will be announced soon. The five recipients will each receive engraved silver collar medallions and $1,000 cash awards at a presentation ceremony at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Orlando, Florida, on December 15 & 16, 2012. Dogs earning honorable mention will be cited and will receive bronze collar medallions.

For more information about Tango, contact Firefighter Dayna Hilton at keepkidsfiresafe@gmail.com or 479-979-7328. , visit the Fire Safety Dogs’ website at www.firesafetydogs.com, or join their Facebook page at facebook.com/firesafetydogs.