By ANNE LINDBERG, TB Reporter

Quincy and his human partner work for Clearwater Fire and Rescue. Quincy is the only arson detection dog in Pinellas County.

CLEARWATER – Quincy was a 4-month-old Labrador mix when he was adopted from Pet Pal Animal Rescue by Clearwater’s Assistant Fire Marshal Ron Neuberger.

Neuberger noticed Quincy always wanted to smell and look for things. Neuberger turned that instinct into a career for Quincy. He is now almost 9 years old and has helped investigate hundreds of fires and has helped in the conviction of  more than 100 people. He is the only accelerant detection dog in Pinellas and although he’s technically on the staff at Clearwater Fire and Rescue, he helps all fire departments in the Tampa Bay area.

Now Quincy is in the running for the American Humane Hero Dog Awards.

The American Humane Hero Dog Awards^® are an annual, nationwide competition that searches out and recognizes America’s Hero Dogs – often ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things, whether it’s saving lives on the battlefield, lending sight or hearing to a human companion, or simply providing the tail-wagging welcome a pet owner relishes at the end of a hard day.

Dogs compete in seven different categories for the Hero Dog Awards: Law Enforcement/Arson Dogs, Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Military Dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs, Guide/Hearing Dogs, and Emerging Hero Dogs (the category for “ordinary” dogs who do extraordinary things). The Hero Dog Awards celebrate the powerful, age-old bond between dogs and people – and give recognition to courageous acts of heroism performed by our four-legged best friends.

After voting by the American public, winners in each category are flown to Hollywood with their human friends to attend the American Humane Hero Dog Awards^® gala in Los Angeles. There they walk the red carpet, are recognized in video tributes, receive their Hero Dog category award statue and mingle with celebrities, both two-legged and four-legged! The 2017 American Hero Dog will then be announced to the world.

Founded in 1877, American Humane is committed to ensuring the safety, welfare and well-being of animals. Our leadership programs are first to serve in promoting and nurturing the bonds between animals and humans.

For information about the awards and the other nominees, or to vote for Quincy, go to herodogawards.org.

Photo of Quincy courtesy of Clearwater Fire and Rescue.

Clearwater Fire and Rescue | Arson Dog | Hero Dog Awards | American Humane | Quincy | TB Reporter

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