Hats off to Prozac!

Not the medication, although I'm sure many depression sufferers would share that sentiment. No, this Prozac is a poodle mix who has saved human lives twice, and is now a finalist in the Humane Society of the United States' Dogs of Valor award. As the Raleigh News & Observer reports:

Prozac is credited with saving lives on two occasions. During the summer of 2009, he was staying with a friend in the neighborhood while the Bermans were out of town. During the night, he began to bark incessantly, waking the neighbor and her granddaughter.

"He wouldn't stop for an hour," Barbara Berman said, laughing. "They were ready to kill him.

Instead, Prozie, as he is called, kept them from getting killed. Although it took them awhile to catch on, he alerted them to a fire in the attic. The house was destroyed, but everyone got out in time.

During his other bit of life-saving heroics, Prozie was taking a nap with an aunt of Fred's when he awoke and started barking, alerting others to the woman's breathing problems. Family members woke up Aunt Dorothy, 94, and gave her medicine.

Go Prozie go! You can vote for Prozie (or any of the other very worthy pups) here. Voting closes next Friday, March 12, 2010 at 5 p.m. EST. The winner will be decided by a score determined by Internet votes and a celebrity panel of judges.