Hooch, who overcame abuse and injuries to become a therapy dog, was named the American Hero Dog of 2016.

Nearly 200 dogs have been nominated for the 2017 American Hero Dog Awards, and the first round of voting for finalists in seven categories opened this week. You can vote once per day for your favorite nominee. The seven categories include law enforcement/arson dogs, military dogs, therapy dogs, service dogs, emerging hero dogs, search and rescue dogs and guide/hearing dogs. The winning dog in each category will be flown to Los Angeles for a star-studded gala in September, and this year’s American Hero Dog will be revealed. The 2016 American Hero Dog winner was Hooch, a 3-year-old Mastiff who was rescued from terrible abuse and went on to work with abused and special needs children. — Cast your vote at American Humane