Hero dog Harley trades life of abuse for applause

This undated photo provided by Crown Media United States, LLC, shows Harley, a 14-year-old Chihuahua owned by Rudi Taylor of Bethoud, Colo. Harley is the winner of this year's American Humane Association Dog of the Year award, and is the oldest, smallest and most challenged. Together four years, Harley and Taylor have spent the last two running “Harley to the Rescue,” raising a half million dollars to save and take medical care of over 500 other puppy mill dogs. As a spokes-dog against commercial breeders, Harley has visited thousands of people of all ages while Taylor described puppy mills.(Crown Media United States, LLC via AP This undated photo provided by Crown Media United States, LLC, shows Harley, a 14-year-old Chihuahua owned by Rudi Taylor of Bethoud, Colo. Harley is the winner of this year's American Humane Association Dog of the Year award, and is the oldest, smallest and most challenged. Together four years, Harley and Taylor have spent the last two running “Harley to the Rescue,” raising a half million dollars to save and take medical care of over 500 other puppy mill dogs. As a spokes-dog against commercial breeders, Harley has visited thousands of people of all ages while Taylor described puppy mills.(Crown Media United States, LLC via AP

By Associated Press October 21, 2015 5 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Of the eight finalists in the American Humane Association’s 2015 American Hero Dog contest, Harley is the oldest, smallest and most unlikely of winners.

After 10 years of abuse in a Midwestern puppy mill, Harley has a diseased heart, rotted mouth, fused spine, broken tail, gnarled toes, deformed legs and a missing eye. But the 6-pound Chihuahua was named top dog at a sold-out Los Angeles awards ceremony. More than a million public votes were cast and an expert panel weighed in on Harley’s honor. The show will be broadcast nationally on the Hallmark Channel on Oct. 30.

Here’s a look at all eight dogs, including two military service dogs, three German shepherds and four rescues, that competed for America’s most heroic canine.

___

HARLEY, AMERICAN HERO DOG