A Coast Guard K9 from Fernandina Beach whose work has taken her from some of the nation’s largest security events to the investigation of a terrorist attack is now competing against four other military dogs for national recognition.
K9 Lea, a 4-year-old Labrador retriever trained in explosives detection, is one of five semifinalists in the military category of the 2026 American Humane Hero Dog Awards.
The Northeast Florida pup is up against military K9s from California, Virginia and Tennessee whose service ranges from suspect tracking and supporting sales and Marines to protecting presidents.
Northeast Florida’s contender
Lea serves as an explosives-detection K9 with the U.S. Coast Guard and is the youngest of this year’s five military semifinalists.
Her assignments have included high-security operations in Washington D.C. and even the FIFA World Cup, according to American Humane Society.
Following the Jan. 1, 2025 terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Lea was deployed as part of the response. During the investigation, American Humane Society said Lea detected the odor of explosives aboard a ferry associated with the suspect, providing investigators with a lead as they worked to determine his movements before the attack.
Away from work, the organization describes Lea as a dog that enjoys running on the beach, chasing waves and spending time with her handler.
She is the only Coast Guard dog among this year’s military semifinalists.
The competition
Lea faces four other dogs for the military category title.
They include Blek, a 13-year-old retired Navy explosives and patrol K9 from California who served for 12 years; Sage, a 6-year-old Labrador who supports sailors and Marines aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford; Tambo, a 12-year-old retired explosives-detection K9 from Tennessee who is now battling cancer; and Targo, an 8-year-old Marine Corps tracking dog from California whose work helped authorities locate two suspects during an operation that resulted in felony arrests and the seizure of 56 kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine.
How the Hero Dog competition works
American Humane Society selected 25 semifinalists across five categories: law enforcement and first responder dogs; service and guide or hearing dogs; therapy dogs; military dogs; and emerging hero and shelter dogs.
American Humane Society President and CEO Robin Ganzert said the dogs selected as semifinalists exemplify the bond between people and animals.
“Each of these extraordinary canines is living proof of something I believe deeply: that the bond between humans and animals has the power to heal us in ways nothing else can,” Ganzert said. “Their courage, devotion and unconditional love remind us that the human-animal bond can mend hearts, strengthen communities and inspire hope even in our most difficult moments.”
Voting for the category winners opened Aug. 10 and continues through 5 p.m. Sept. 18. Voters may cast one vote per category per day.
Public voting alone will not determine whether Lea advances.
The contest rules state that each category winner will be selected using a combination of the public vote and an evaluation by a blue-ribbon judging panel.
The five category winners are expected to be announced around Oct. 12. Judges will then select one of those dogs as the 2026 American Hero Dog, which is expected to be announced at the Hero Dog Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., in December.
Voting is available through American Humane Society’s Hero Dog Awards website.
Thanks for the coverage on K9 Lea 🙏🏼
You’re so welcome! We’re casting our vote for her every day! 🥺🤍🐾