Editor

WINNERS OF THE 2009 CANINE ‘OSCARS' ANNOUNCED:
The Fido Awards and Dogs Trust celebrate winning dog actors

Winners of the Fido Awards presented in association with Dogs Trust and honouring canine cinematic excellence were announced today at the prestigious ceremony at BFI Southbank. The full list of winners is as follows:

HISTORICAL HOUND (for period drama excellence)                The Young Victoria

ROM-COM ROVER (for romantic-comedy companionship)      Marley and Me

COMEDY CANINE (for outstanding comedic contribution)        Beverly Hills Chihuahua

BLOCKBUSTER BOWSER (for event-movie performance)    Up

MUTT MOMENT (for stand-out cinematic canine moment)       Fish Tank

BEST IN WORLD (for best of the best)                                       The Young Victoria

DOGS TRUST STAR OF TOMORROW                                   Paddy

Amongst the winners present to accept their awards handed out by presenters Kerry Fox, Christopher Biggins, Camilla Rutherford and Fenella Fielding was Tori (aka Dash) from The Young Victoria, Syrus (aka Tennants) from Fish Tank and Paddy, a six year-old crossbreed rescue dog from Dogs Trust Darlington, winner of the special Dogs Trust ‘Star of Tomorrow' award, the first of its kind at the ceremony.

Cavalier King Charles 'Tori' - canine star of The Young Victoria - winner of Historical Hound and Best in World at the 2009 Fido Awards in Association with Dogs Trust. Held today at BFI Southbank.

While the judging panel was year made up of leading film critics and writers, including: Derek Malcolm, EVENING STANDARD; Angie Errigo, EMPIRE; James Christopher, THE TIMES; Kaleem Aftab, THE INDEPENDENT and Charles Gant, HEAT.

Fido Awards producer Toby Rose commented, "Not only do pets win prizes, but our beloved four-legged friends make an invaluable contribution to the entertainment which we all enjoy, and they deserve the recognition which we've given them today."

Clarissa Baldwin, Dogs Trust CEO added, "Dogs Trust is thrilled to be associated with the Fido Awards, particularly as this year saw so many fantastic dog films a the box office. The winners should take a well-deserved bow-wow."