PDSA Gold Medal

PDSA Gold Medal
Gold medal encircled in a laurel wreath and inscribed "PDSA For animal gallantry and devotion to duty" held from a ring suspended by a golden ribbon.
The PDSA Gold Medal
Awarded forAnimal gallantry and devotion to duty
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byPeople's Dispensary for Sick Animals
First awarded2002
WebsitePDSA Gold Medal
PDSA Gold Medal service ribbon

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.[1][2][3] The Gold Medal is considered as the civilian equivalent to PDSA's Dickin Medal for military animals. 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.[4]

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.[5] As of September 2023, the PDSA Gold Medal has been awarded to 31 different animals. All recipients were dogs until 2020, when a mine-sniffing African giant pouched rat named Magawa received the prize. The majority of recipients have been British. Non-British recipients include Bamse, who was Norwegian,[6] George and Gage, both from New Zealand,[7][8] Ajax, who was Spanish,[9] and Magawa, who was Tanzanian.[10]

  1. ^ Grant, Katie (8 January 2016). "K9 Killer: Dog receives PDSA Gold Medal for helping to save rhino from extinction". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference orca_zoltan_blue was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference bos was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "PDSA Gold Medal". People's Dispensary for Sick Animals. Archived from the original on 24 June 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference endal was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Gold Medal dogs". People's Dispensary for Sick Animals. Archived from the original on 18 July 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference george was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference gage was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference ajax was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Magawa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).