The awards take place in Hollywood, California, on October 6, 2012, and will honor eight canine finalists for their heroic deeds. Hero Dog of 2012 voting has begun and the general public has access to the finalists by visiting the official website of Hero Dog Awards. The awards ceremony will be broadcast on the Hallmark Channel on November 2, 2012.

KD Frueh, President of the KONG Company, shared, “We are honored to support ‘hero dogs.’ In 1976 Fritz, a retired police dog, discovered the inspiration for the original KONG toy when he became enthralled with a rubber automotive suspension part. Thus, the KONG was born and since then the oddly shaped toy has entertained and captivated generations of animals. We look forward to sharing our one-of-a-kind products with the winners and attendees of the acclaimed Hero Dog Awards.”

In a second announcement, the KONG Company revealed a partnership with the Petfinder Foundation, where they will provide quarterly donations of their KONG toys and treats to support many of the foundation’s shelter initiatives.

As part of this partnership, KONG will provide the toys and treats for dogs and cats to help animal shelters in need. They will also support events like Adoption Options, Rescue U, and others. For pet parents that adopt a pet through Petfinder.com, KONG is providing “new adopter” gift bags that will feature KONG treat samples and a coupon for a future purchase of KONG products.

For more information about KONG, visit http://www.kongcompany.com.

For more information on the Petfinder Foundation, visit www.petfinderfoundation.com.

The Hero Dog Awards website is www.herodogawards.com.