Firefighters in Riverview, N.B., added a new member to the team this week.
The adorable pooch was revealed to the public at the fire hall this week, but he's more than just a cute face.
Known as 'puppy' for now, the eight-week-old golden labrador retriever will act as a therapy dog for firefighters.
Lt. Dave Murray was the driving force behind getting the much needed dog and will be one of its handlers along with Firefighter Todd Gorner.
"The dog can just be there, it just listens to the guys. It can be there for comfort when most guys would not do that. When you have a dog, you turn into a little kid. You can't not love a dog," said Murray.
The puppy is part of the facility dog program provided by Canine Therapy for First Responders. Group president Tracey Ryan says the average first responder experiences over 800 traumatic events during their career.
"They have very traumatic jobs and the dog doesn't know if they've just come back from a trip to the grocery store, or an accident," said Ryan. "Not only does he help first responders decompress, he also helps them by being another tool in their toolbox to cope with. It's something to alleviate the moment."
The dog will be shared with other departments in the area, but his home will be in Riverview. Murray said it'll be great knowing the dog will be there to help the firefighters cope with bad calls.
"After a bad call we'll sit together and talk it out. Getting stuff out really helps the situation. For some guys, it's working out in the gym, going for a run. Things to keep busy. There's a lot of down time and when in those down times, that's when you start thinking about things," said Murray.
The firefighters picked three choices for its name, Murphy, Casey and Reilly and Town of Riverview residents were able to vote for their favourite. This announcement is said to come Monday.
