Country United Kingdom Official website PDSA Gold Medal | First awarded 2002 | |
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Awarded for Animal gallantry and devotion to duty Presented by People's Dispensary for Sick Animals | ||
The PDSA Gold Medal is an animal bravery award that acknowledges the bravery and devotion to duty of animals. It was created by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) in 2001, and is now recognised as the animal equivalent of the George Cross. An animal can be awarded the PDSA Gold Medal if it assists in saving human or non-human life when its own life is in danger or through exceptional devotion to duty. The medal can also be awarded to animals in public service, such as police or rescue dogs, if the animal dies or suffers serious injury while carrying out its official duties in the face of armed and violent opposition.
The first ceremony, in November 2002, saw the Gold medal awarded to three dogs, including Endal, an assistance dog whose actions helped to save the life of his disabled owner. The most recent ceremony was held in June 2013, honouring Ajax, a German Shepherd. As of January 2016, the PDSA Gold Medal has been awarded 24 times. All recipients to date have been dogs, and all have been British except for Bamse, who was Norwegian, George and Gage, both from New Zealand, and Ajax, who was Spanish.