Certified therapy dog Sapper has been announced as the 2025 USO Canine Volunteer of the Year. The 8-year-old Alaskan Husky takes the baton (er — leash?) from last year’s titleholder, Leader, a Rottweiler who serves the military families at Fort Eustis, Virginia, alongside her owner Renice.
The USO Canine Volunteer of the Year award is part of the USO Canine Program, which recognizes the positive impact dogs have on people. The program invites service members and their families to schedule visits with certified therapy dogs at specific USO Centers around the world, as well as USO Canine Program events.
Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Sapper is a well-known face around town, frequently supporting the community and often photographed wearing sunglasses and a beret. With his handler Michael beside him, Sapper has been involved with the USO Canine Program for only six months, but already has over 600 volunteer hours. While their work stretches beyond the USO — visiting soldiers around the installation as well as visiting children at schools and libraries — Michael highlighted a recent encounter where an emotional military spouse came into the USO Center to see Sapper. After hugging the therapy dog and “releasing” what she was going through, she left feeling better. Michael explained “that’s just one example of what… Sapper does for people.”
Worldwide support
Sapper received an outpouring of worldwide support during the voting round of the USO Canine Volunteer of the Year, including votes from Germany and Asia.
“It’s overwhelming, really,” Michael said, before going on to detail Sapper’s volunteer work. “He does so much for people… like the hospice care, he works with the Kind 2 Kritters Rescue to help raise money for the homeless veterans and people’s animals… he goes and comforts people and [reads] with the kids [at the] library. We have a little boy this weekend, Colton; he’s got cancer. [This weekend], we have an event for him to raise awareness and money for the cancer.”
‘Loyal companions’
Sapper, of course, is one of many incredible certified therapy dogs who support service members and their families. This year, there were five deserving finalists: Cooper, a Dalmatian based in Las Vegas, Nevada; Maki, a Miniature American Shepherd based in Ramstein, Germany; Penny, a German Shepherd/Chinook Mix based in Yokosuka, Japan; Ranger, a Golden Retriever based in New Jersey and Delaware; and of course, Sapper, who celebrated his new title with cake, dinner at his favorite local restaurant Paradise Acres, and “lots of hugs from everybody.”
All of the finalists — along with their handlers — have contributed considerable time in support of the military community and beyond.
The USO best summed up the relationship with dogs and humans when announcing the finalists on social media: “These loyal companions remind us that sometimes the most powerful support comes on four legs.”
To stay up to date on all of his adventures and volunteer work, follow Sapper on Instagram. To learn more and support the USO’s critical mission around the globe, please visit USO.org or follow on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
