Sgt. Bo Reporting for Duty
What do you get when a stray dog becomes a hero, a police department gains its most compassionate officer, and an entire nation falls in love on live television? You get Sgt. Bo and one of the most heart-warming episodes of Working Like Dogs we've ever recorded. Host Marcie Davis sat down with Faye Okert, the devoted handler behind this four-legged phenomenon, and Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of American Humane Society to share the breathtaking journey of a dog who went from wandering the streets of Nashville to comforting children in the aftermath of tragedy — and ultimately winning the 2025 American Humane Hero Dog Award. Robin pulls back the curtain on the Hero Dog Awards and shares the most urgent issues American Humane is fighting for right now on behalf of animals everywhere. And Sgt. Bo's story is living proof that the dogs who need saving the most are often the ones who end up saving us. Faye and Robin remind us why dogs aren't just our best friends — they're our healers, our heroes, and sometimes, our greatest teachers. This is the episode to share with every dog lover in your life!
Listen to Episode #209 Now:
BIO:
Faye Okert is a retired police officer with 34 years of dedicated service to her community. Eighteen of those years were spent serving as a School Resource Officer, where she built lasting relationships with students and worked to create safe, supportive environments for children and families.
During the final years of her career, Faye partnered with her therapy K9, Sgt Bo, forming a remarkable team focused on compassion, connection, and emotional support. Sgt Bo's story is one of resilience and second chances. Once a homeless and unwanted stray, Bo found a new purpose alongside Faye, becoming a source of comfort and inspiration to countless children and community members.
Together, Faye and Sgt Bo share a message centered on kindness, hope, and the life-changing bond between people and animals. Through school visits, community events, and outreach programs, they encourage children to believe in themselves, overcome challenges, and treat others with compassion and respect.
Faye is passionate about continuing their mission and welcomes opportunities to connect with schools, organizations, and community groups interested in learning more about their work and the impact therapy dogs can have in changing lives.
Robin Ganzert is the president and CEO of American Humane Society, where she has led transformational growth in global animal welfare, rescue, conservation, and humane certification programs since 2010. A nationally recognized advocate for animals, Dr. Ganzert is the creator and executive producer of the award-winning documentaries Escape from Extinction and Escape from Extinction: Rewilding, and creator of the annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards®.
Under her leadership, American Humane Society has become the world's largest certifier of animal welfare, helping protect more than one billion animals annually through innovative and lifesaving programs including No Animals Were Harmed®, American Humane Certified™, and Pups4Patriots™ for veterans in need of service dogs.
Dr. Ganzert is a bestselling author, frequent national media contributor and internationally recognized leader in conservation and animal welfare. She serves on several nonprofit boards and has received numerous honors for her work advancing the humane treatment and protection of animals worldwide.