Special dog receives posthumous Blue Cross medal

A special posthumous Blue Cross medal has been awarded to Whizz, a remarkable Newfoundland rescue dog, to mark his many lifetime achievements. Whizz was the top water dog of the Newfound Friends charity and the only canine member of the Swansea Marine Volunteer Service.

Whizz helped to raise over £1.5 million for charities, mainly the Little Bridge House, a hospice for terminally ill children where he often visited to provide comfort to the residents. Whizz was also awarded for saving the lives of many struggling at sea and other waters.

Chris Burghes, Blue Cross CEO said: “I was delighted to present a special posthumous Blue Cross medal to this legendary dog. His remarkable achievements make him more than worthy of this one-off award, the third he has received form major animal charities.”

Whizz is the subject of a true story co-written by his owner David Pugh from Portishead and author Lynn Cavendish from Bristol. ‘Whizz, Zero to Hero’ follows the path of David and Whizz and their incredible bond and a lifetime of adventures.

David said: “I’m thrilled that such a fantastic dog that was a big part of my life is getting the credit he truly deserves. Whizz had a very difficult time before I rescued him at about 18 months old. I took him in with my other Newfoundland dogs and after a few months of love and affection he came out of his shell and flourished into the hero he was.”

David was presented the award by Chris Burghes at the Blue Cross headquarters in Burford, Oxfordshire on Friday 21 June. David attended with another Newfoundland called Bandit.

With the increasing demand for Blue Cross pet welfare services, the charity needs the support of animal lovers to continue its work helping pets and their people, in any way they can. Whether that’s by donating to keep rehoming and veterinary services going through these tough times, fundraising for Blue Cross, providing foster care for pets while loving new homes are found, volunteering at pet food banks, or signing up to support Blue Cross campaigns for better pet welfare. www.bluecross.org.uk