In the Italian city of San Rocco di Camogli, located near Genoa, awards have been held for dogs for their loyal service since 1961. On 16 August, the Premio Internazionale Fedeltà del Cane event took place for the 60th time.
For the first time, one of the winners was a participant from Russia: a German shepherd named Wolf-Mercury. The dog works in the Center of the Cynological Service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The nine-year-old dog received the Dog’s Fidelity award for saving a 15-year-old girl from rape. This happened in Lomonosov in 2020.
Taking the trail of the missing schoolgirl, he led the police to an abandoned house where the man was holding his victim. The crime was prevented. During the investigation, it turned out that the 36-year-old man was a repeat offender.
Wolf-Mercury is the first dog with which Maria began working in the police in 2001. They joined the CCS together in 2017.
At the moment of meeting Maria, it seemed that the dog was distinguished by a stern and unfriendly character, and she prepared for the difficulties of joint service.
But he turned out to be adequate, playful and receptive, becoming not only a colleague but also a member of her family.
The Dog Loyalty Award is dedicated to a pup named Pucci. The stray dog made friends with local schoolchildren, met them next to the church and accompanied them to school and then back, where they were picked up by their relatives.
A global symbol of loyalty is Hachiko from Japan, but many dogs around the planet show similar examples.
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Hachi was a true story made into a movie starring Richard Gere. Will make you cry. What a dog!