ALIQUIPPA, PA – Service dogs can aid people in many ways, assisting people young and old in a variety of tasks. Hank, a 3-year-old German Shepherd Dog, has changed the life of 10-year-old Harrison Brimner, who is autistic, and the lives of his Aliquippa, Pennsylvania family.
“We’re able to do things we previously couldn’t,” says Megan Brimner, Harrison’s mother. “Since Hank came into our home three years ago, he has been the best thing that has ever happened to our family.” Hank’s heroics, subtle at times, more pronounced at others, earned him the 2023 American Kennel Club Award for Canine Excellence (ACE) in the Service Dog category. Each year, the AKC Humane Fund awards five dogs who do extraordinary things in the service of humankind in different categories: Uniformed Service K-9, Therapy Dog, Search and Rescue Dog, Exemplary Companion, and Service Dogs, like Hank. Dogs in Hank’s category are those who enrich the lives of people with disabilities, and can include guide dogs, medical-alert dogs, hearing dogs, and more. Hank is this year’s Service Dog ACE winner, awarded for his incredible impact on Harrison’s life. “Having Hank in our midst is like night and day,” says Megan.
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