Does your pup have what it takes to be the LAFD's K9 mascot?
Your pup could be the next official canine mascot for the greatest fire department in the nation – the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD)! Nominating your dog is fun, fast, and easy. Use the “Enter Contest” button to the right, create an account, submit a photo of your favorite furry friend, and tell us why your dog is a hero. The suggested entry donation is $10.
$1 = 1 VOTE
Rally your family and friends to vote for your dog! Each vote costs $1. Be sure to vote early and often!
A panel of judges (including Fire Chief Kristin Crowley) will evaluate the top 10 contestants and select the Howling Hero of 2024!
All participation and voting proceeds will support the LAFD Foundation in funding essential equipment and programs, like the LAFD’s breakthrough Canine Therapy Program and the LAFD's Canine Search and Rescue Team.
Prizes
The first place Howling Hero winner will receive:
- Bragging rights and LAFD gift baskets for the owner and the winning pup
- An opportunity to be featured in a KTLA News segment as the 2024 Howling Hero
- Recognition on the LAFD and LAFD Foundation’s social media platforms
- Invitations to appear at select LAFD special events throughout the year, including the annual Valor Awards
- Pet portrait photography session by www.charlienunnphotography.com + a custom framed 16x20 fine art print
Second and third place winners will also receive a gift basket of LAFD apparel.
LAFD Canines Solve Crimes and Save Lives
Drive, commitment, energy, and focus are crucial to being a successful LAFD firefighter. However, they are also essential attributes in the various dogs that support the work of the LAFD.
Dogs have several important roles across the Department, from the Canine Therapy Program to the Arson Counter-Terrorism Section and Urban Search and Rescue teams.
The Canine Therapy Program is designed to engage specially trained dogs to help alleviate the psychological and emotional trauma that impacts our firefighters. In the Arson Counter-Terrorism Section, or Arson Unit for short, keen Accelerant Detection Canines (ADCs) distinguish between a wide variety of chemicals to aid in arson investigations. ADCs train multiple times per day to improve and retain their skill at locating gasoline, petroleum distillates, and other chemicals that help investigators identify evidence in suspected arson incidents.
The LAFD’s Urban Search & Rescue canine team can do the work of 50 first responders when it comes to locating victims. They are trained to discern scents unnoticeable to humans, bringing efficiency and effectiveness to recovery operations. Included in this team are human remains dogs (HRD) who help find deceased victims and give closure to families who may have lost someone during a disaster.
Both the dogs and their LAFD handlers undergo rigorous training to be a part of these programs. This training continues for the entirety of the canine’s career, making handlers and these specialized pups an inseparable pair.
Proceeds from Howling Heroes will benefit these canine programs and others that help our firefighters create more resilient communities.