| Genre: | Award ceremony |
| Executive Producer: | Lisa Chapman Malcolm Gerrie |
| Director: | Nikki Parsons |
| Producer: | Zoe Cook Darren Sole (series) |
| Presenter: | Paul O'Grady |
| Starring: | Laura Whitmore (reporter) |
| Channel: | ITV |
| Company: | Whizz Kid Productions |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Runtime: | 120 minutes (inc. adverts) |
| Location: | BBC Elstree Centre |
| Related: | For the Love of Dogs |
The British Animal Honours[1] is a British awards ceremony which honoured the country's most extraordinary animals and the people who dedicate their lives to them. The programme was broadcast by ITV and was presented by Paul O'Grady. Animals are nominated for honours by members of the public, with the winners being decided by a panel of animal experts.[2] [3] [4]
The first award ceremony aired on Thursday 18 April 2013 on ITV and was presented by Paul O'Grady.[5] [6]
The ceremony also featured one-off performances from the National Theatre's production of War Horse, a dancing dog troupe led by Kennel Club trainer Gina Pink and a showpiece by the South Wales Police Dog Section. The award ceremony was sponsored by Animal Friends Pet Insurance, who also sponsor O'Grady's other programme For the Love of Dogs.[7]
| Honour (Presenters) | Winner |
|---|---|
| The Braveheart Honour Presented by Rupert Grint | Haatchi the dog |
| The Ray of Sunshine Honour Presented by Lesley Nicol and Thomas Howes | Yorkie the pony |
| The Rising Star Honour Presented by Ashleigh and Pudsey | The Children of Luss Primary School |
| The Guardian Angel Honour Presented by Arlene Phillips | Hetty the Guide Dog |
| The Wildlife Conservation Honour Presented by Steve Backshall | International Otter Survival Fund |
| The Canine Commando Honour Presented by Dame Kelly Holmes | Brin the Afghan stray dog |
| The Local Charity of the Year Honour Presented by Kate Garraway | East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) |
| The Tails of the Unexpected Honour Presented by Catherine Tyldesley and Paula Lane | Bob the Cat |
| The International Rescue Honour Presented by Hayley Mills and Stephen Tompkinson | Jill Robinson, MBE of Animals Asia |
| The In the Line of Duty Honour Presented by Donal MacIntyre | Tyke the dog[8] |
| The Internet Star Award Presented by Laura Whitmore | Piggy the Fridge Scaling Cat |
| The Outstanding Contribution Honour Presented by Anita Dobson and Brian May | Virginia McKenna, OBE of Born Free |
The panel of experts consists of: Virginia McKenna, OBE, Celia Hammond, Sean Wensley, Jill Nelson, Simon King, Laura Jenkins, Emily Beament, Emma Milne, Zara Boland, Donal MacIntyre, Jenny Seagrove, Clarissa Baldwin, Peter Gorbing, Tamsin Durston, David Grant, Dr Emily Blackwell, Stuart Winter, Andy Blackmore, Anita Dobson, Johnson Beharry, Maggie Roberts, Caterina Termine, Robbie Marsland, Tim Webb, Marc Abraham, Danny Penman, Daniel Allen, Rosamund Kidman Cox, Anthea Turner and Peter Egan.