Dogs including heroes of the 7/7 bombings and the Haiti earthquake are among five finalists competing for the Crufts Friends for Life award, the Kennel Club has announced.

The winner will be voted for by the public and presented with the award on Sunday, March 13, the final night of the Crufts show, which is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year.

Metropolitan Police sniffer dog Jake, a cocker spaniel, searched the bus wreckage at Tavistock Square and the route from Russell Square to King’s Cross after the London bombings to ensure the area was safe for explosives officers and paramedics.

And Manchester Fire and Rescue dog Echo was deployed to Haiti after the earthquake in January last year. Despite collapsing in the heat and having to be put on a drip, the Labrador returned to work to help rescue a young girl found under the wreckage of a building housing a kindergarten. The nominees also include dogs which have provided invaluable support to their owners.

Assistance dog Kaiser, a golden retriever/poodle cross, from Shropshire, helps his owner Joanne Day to cope with dystonia, a neurological disorder which causes muscle spasms and leaves her body contorted and fixed in abnormal positions.

The Kennel Club said Kaiser gives her the confidence to leave the house and meet new people, as well as helping with everyday tasks, such as dressing and picking things up.

Medical detection dog Shirley, a Labrador, recognises when her owner, diabetic Rebecca Farrar, seven, from Northampton, has low blood sugar. She is the first such dog in the UK to be allowed into a mainstream primary school, and can detect the onset of a possible hypoglycaemic attack which could leave Rebecca in a coma.

And support dog Merlin, a crossbreed, has helped Grace Brown-Griffin, 10, from Kent, who suffers from autism and ADHD, to deal with difficult and stressful situations. The Kennel Club’s Caroline Kisko said: “The dogs nominated for this year’s Friends for Life competition help to remind us what it is that makes the relationship between dog and man so very special.

“Each and every one of the finalists has helped to change and save lives, and can teach us all a lesson about loyalty, companionship and bravery.”