Animal Heroes

So as the Gulf Coast braces for yet another hurricane (I just checked in via email with my friends in Houston who actually by coincidence are in Rome so I think they are safe!), my thoughts turn to the concept of hero. Surely by the time the waters drain, we will hear about all sorts of heroes that have emerged from yet another traumatic experience in our collective history.

Here's my question for you? What makes an animal a hero? Is it the same characteristics we apply to humans, i. e. survivor, doer of extraordinary deeds, possessor of extraordinary strengths or talents or are animals judged by different criteria?

I can think of several animals who were indeed heroes such as Balto the sled dog who delivered the diphtheria serum to Nome, Alaska in 1925 or Comanche the only survivor of Custer's Last Stand or even Phar Lap who inspired the country of New Zealand during their darkest days but I wonder if the criteria remain stagnant.

The most recent animal hero named by the Humane Society of the United States is a dog who saved its master by punching the speed dial for 911 and then barking into the phone to alert the police that something was wrong. Do "ordinary" heroic deeds (or in this case extraordinary) equal those that make the front pages like Barbaro's "fight" for survival?

Let me know what you think and please let me know of any animals who qualify as heroes in your opinion.

Stay safe wherever you are.