NEW YORK — Canyon, a rescue dog who survived neglect, was named the 2026 ASPCA Humane Award’s Dog of the Year at an awards ceremony at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on Thursday night.
Canyon works alongside his handler with Texas A&M Task Force 1, one of the country’s elite search-and-rescue teams. The pair spent more than 90 days responding to the devastating Texas floods of 2025, working at Camp Mystic and along the Guadalupe River on search, rescue and recovery operations.
Texas A&M Task Force 1 is one of the country’s elite urban search-and-rescue teams, deployed to major disasters across the United States. Its canine units are trained to locate people buried in rubble or swept away by floodwaters, often working long shifts in extreme heat and hazardous conditions.
The ASPCA Humane Awards, presented by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, honor animals and people for exceptional acts of compassion, courage and dedication.
The award recognizes Canyon’s months of service alongside his handler, and the quiet, painstaking work that search dogs perform in the aftermath of disaster.
From a rescue dog who survived neglect to a nationally honored working dog, Canyon’s story highlights the critical role that rescue animals can play when disaster strikes.
