The dog leapt into action to protect Barack Obama and his family in 2014.
A dog has been given a special award for thwarting a possible attack on President Barack Obama.
United States Secret Service dog Hurricane and his handler Officer Marshall Mirarchi were in London on Wednesday to receive the PDSA Order Of Merit – sometimes referred to as the animal equivalent of an OBE – after he stopped an intruder at the White House in 2014.
Mr Mirarchi, now Hurricane’s adoptive dad, said: “Hurricane was such a legend within the Service. He loved working and his talent for the job impressed me every single day.
“That night, he stepped up and delivered under circumstances that no amount of training could prepare him for. I have never witnessed such violence toward a dog before but it didn’t stop him from doing his job.
“I am so proud of him and extremely thankful to PDSA for honouring his service and actions in this way.”
Belgian Malinois Hurricane, who was trained as part of the USSS Emergency Response Team, leapt into a action when a man jumped the White House fence and sprinted towards the area where President Obama and his family were.
The intruder struggled, kicking and punching Hurricane as well as swinging him through the air, but the dog eventually managed to knock him to the ground, allowing officers to apprehend him.
PDSA director general Jan McLoughlin said: “The PDSA Order of Merit was introduced to recognise animals for the exceptional devotion to duty. Hurricane’s achievements certainly fulfil this criteria and warrant the highest recognition. We are thrilled that he has become the latest recipient of the PDSA Order of Merit.”
Hurricane retired from service in 2016.
DETROIT (AP) — A dog missing in California since the summer turned up more than 2,000 miles away in suburban Detroit.
Police in Harper Woods responded to a call about a stray dog last week, picked up the terrier mix and contacted an animal welfare group.
The Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society said it quickly discovered that the dog, named Mishka, had an identity chip implanted in her with information about her owners.
Mehrad Houman and his family live in San Diego but were planning to travel to Minnesota when the call came in. He landed there and then drove 10 hours to Michigan for a reunion with Mishka, the adoption group said on a Facebook post with pictures and video.
“This is a tale that Hollywood would love to tell,” the group said.
Mishka had wandered away from Houman’s workplace, an auto garage, in July and never returned. Her collar had the family's phone number.
“We think it was stolen and then it was sold and ended up in Michigan,” said Corinne Martin, director of the animal welfare group.
Houman's wife, Elizabeth, said it's “been an incredible journey.”
“I never gave up,” she said Thursday. “I put up over a thousand flyers. I had a flyer on my back windshield. I wore her leash whenever I would look for her. ... Now I just want to find out how she got to Michigan."
Veterinarian Nancy Pillsbury examined 3-year-old Mishka, gave her a rabies shot and cleared her to travel home to California.
“She was clean, well-fed. Whoever had her took good care of her,” Pillsbury told The Associated Press. “How she got here — that's a story only Mishka knows."
Follow Ed White on X at https://twitter.com/edwritez
In this image provided by Corinne Martin, Mehrad Houman holds his dog, Mishka, after she was examined by veterinarian Nancy Pillsbury in Harper Woods, Mich., Friday, March 29, 2024. Mishka was discovered in suburban Detroit, eight months after disappearing in San Diego. (Corinne Martin via AP)
