SAN ANTONIO – Two San Antonio pups were among the five heroic dogs honored for canine excellence.
Winston and Wallace were awarded in the 2024 AKC Humane Fund Awards this holiday season, according to a news release.
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The awards celebrate five hard-working dogs that have improved their owners’ lives and communities.
The winners were chosen from a pool of over 600 nominations.
Winston, the All-American
Winston is an All-American Dog owned by Jeff Wells. He was awarded the “Exemplary Companion Dog.”
Winston was found living in a ditch in 2021 and was rescued by Wells during the “Great Texas Freeze.”
Wells is a U.S. Army veteran and struggled for years with the mental toll of intensive combat, according to the news release.
“Both Winston and Wells were struggling physically and mentally, respectively, when they discovered the sport of Agility,” the release stated.
Since 2022, Wells and Winston have competed in AKC Agility and have built an unbreakable bond.
Wallace, the Old English Sheepdog
Wallace is an Old English Sheepdog owned by Joy Allison LaField. He was awarded the “Therapy Dog” award.
Wallace is a licensed therapy dog who has worked with many different organizations. For the past two years, he has worked as a therapy dog at Brooke Army Medical Center, working with active and retired military hospital patients and staff.
Wallace is also a seizure detection dog for his owner, LaField. He saved her life when a seizure caused her to fall into a pool, the release stated.
Wallace was also part of the dog team that was deployed to comfort survivors of the Uvalde school shooting in 2022.
