Bear the dog has received a fantastic prize for his assistance to officials in the aftermath of the 2019-20 Australian bushfires.
The ‘Black Summer’ firestorm killed thousands of koalas, and it was up to the six-year-old Australian Koolie to find the survivors.
He was sent to the fire-ravaged districts of New South Wales and Queensland to look for koalas that had survived the blazes.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare recently recognized Bear for his work at the Animal Action Awards (IFAW).
According to the IFAW, Bear “receives a special appreciation award for his diligent work in locating sick and injured koalas amid a critical crisis.”
“His enthusiasm for the job shines through in everything he does, and he is credited for locating over 100 koalas during Australia’s Black Summer bushfires.”
“This year’s champions can teach us a lot of things.” They tell us that in order to be effective, we must represent a varied group of animal rescuers.”
They remind us that while being there for animals is vital, animals can also be there for humans.
“Critically, this reminds us of how intertwined humans are with the animals of the world, and how we must all work together to improve circumstances for all of us.”
Bear was presented with his prize via video alongside his handler, Dr. Romane Cristescu of the University of the Sunshine Coast (AU).
“We think Bear truly earned this award because he’s been such a wonderful guy in helping us identify and rescue a lot of koalas, especially during the bushfires, but he works all year to help us in our mission to build a better and safer habitat for koalas,” she explained.
We’ll give Bear additional pats and extended playing time in honor of his prize. Since working with the University of the Sunshine Coast, the IFAW has used canines like Bear in crisis circumstances and conservation activities.”