This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

DENVER (KDVR) — Parker the Snow Dog became the first non-human to be awarded the Master Angler Award by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The award is based on fish length, and it’s open to anglers who get a catch within the qualifying length as long as it is made in compliance with Colorado fishing regulations.

Parker had the honor of accepting the award on behalf of his owner, Dustin Schaefer, according to a release from CPW.

“There’s nothing better than being outside fishing and spending time with your four-legged best friend,” Schaefer said. “It’s even better when we catch a huge fish and get to share the moment together. It’s times like these you never forget.”

Any fisher in Colorado can gain Master Angler status by applying for the award through the CPW Master Angler Program.

It must fit within the requirements, though. The fish must be hooked, not speared, snagged or shot. It must be caught in Colorado within 60 days of the application.

The application requires information about the catch, including the fisher’s name, address, contact information, and the fish species and length, as well as where the fish was caught.

It is awarded based on fish length, which must be measured underneath the catch from the tip of the jaw to the tip of the tail without following the curvature of the fish.

Applicants with a qualifying catch will receive a certificate for each submission along with a patch. Qualification lengths and applications are on the CPW website linked above.