TORONTO _ A dog who pulled his injured owner 400 metres to safety from a frozen lake and another who protected a teen for two days in the woods are among this year's Purina Animal Hall of Fame inductees.
A total of four dogs were recognized today at the 47th annual event in Toronto.
Badger of Elgin, Ont., was honoured for pulling Derik Hodgson to their cabin when the owner broke his leg on the ice in February.
Sako of Kanaka Bar, B.C., was awarded for staying by 16-year-old Joseph Phillips-Garcia for more than 40 hours after their vehicle crashed in June 2014.
Bella of Windsor, Ont., got the honour for alerting owner Rob Sheardown to a man who was having a heart attack in their apartment lobby in November 2014.
And Nettle of Cambridge, Ont., was recognized for his work as a diabetic alert dog for 12-year-old twin daughters in the Bordman family.
This year marks the launch of the Better Together Award, which will recognize a pet that makes an extraordinary difference in the life of his or her owner.
The new category will launch on May 11 and will allow pet owners to submit personal stories that will then be voted on by Canadians. A winner will be announced at next year's Purina Animal Hall of Fame ceremony.
A total of 168 animals _ 140 dogs, 27 cats and a horse _ have been inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, which honours pets and service animals.
