We always look forward to the Natural Balance Pet Foods float in the Rose Parade, and 2013 will mark a particularly special floral commemoration.
This year, Natural Balance’s entry in the world-famous parade is a replica of the U.S. Military Working Dog Teams National Monument, the first such monument dedicated to military dogs scheduled to be dedicated next fall. Before now there has been no national monument honoring the dogs who have served in the U.S. armed forces. While smaller memorials exist in cemeteries and on military bases, the U.S. Military Working Dog Teams National Monument will be the first canine commemoration on par with monuments like the Statue of Liberty.
The monument, which will feature a human handler and four dog breeds famous for their service work, is yet to be unveiled. We’ll get a look at the real statue at the Rose Parade.
During the parade, the float — dubbed “Canines with Courage” — will be flanked by Lucca, a recently retired military hero dog who lost one of her legs to a roadside bomb in Afghanistan while saving a platoon of U.S. Marines. You can learn more about her story in the video below.
Will you be watching the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day? If so, watch for this remarkable float.
