Dog Heroes

A veteran police dog from South Siberia named Zhasmin, which rescued dozens of people during its years in service, has been awarded a medal for courage, dedication and professionalism. Throughout history, many dogs have earned recognition for their service. Even today, stories about canine heroes touch people all over the world.

Hachiko, a dog of the Akita Inu breed, is one of the main symbols of loyalty in Japan. Hachiko was born on November 10, 1923. Its owner was professor Hidesaburō Ueno. The dog saw its master off for work at the train station every day, and returned to greet the professor ever evening. On May 21, 1925, the professor died of a heart attack at the university. On that day, Hachiko waited needlessly. Hachiko was so devoted to the professor that it continued to visit the train station every day for the next nine years, until it died on March 8, 1935.

Famous Soviet space dogs Belka and Strelka, the first creatures to go into orbit and return alive.

In December 2012, Tally, a Swiss shepherd dog, saved three tiger cubs at the Sochi Zoo
after their birth mother abandoned them. Her own puppies were born a week after the dog was brought to Sochi. Tally nursed the puppies and the tiger cubs together.

A dog named Kleopatra nursed two tiger cubs in Sochi in the summer of 2012. They were abandoned by their mother, tigress Bagira.

A dog named Mukhtar in Krymsk is still waiting for his owner, Faina Chuprina, who died in the July flooding in Kuban.

Mukhtar has been guarding the ruins of his house, staring at the place where the gate used to be.

Labrador Poema is a therapy dog, helping autistic children at the Astrakhan rehabilitation center.

Both children and adults enjoy the dog-assisted therapy, which proved highly effective.