A Happy Tail
Hillsborough County Firefighters Reunite Lost Dalmatian With Family
By Mae Velasco, HeroFuel® Reporter
As part of the fourth most populous county in Florida, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Station 5 works like a dog — this time, quite literally.
While cartoons may have taught us that firefighters, when they’re not running into burning buildings, come to the aid of cats stuck in trees, their love for our furry friends goes beyond that.
It was an early Tuesday morning back in September, right around 2:30 A.M., when crews were pulling into the station from a fire alarm call. Right before the bay doors shut close, a little guest slipped inside. A mixed-Dalmatian puppy, dirty but healthy with no signs of fleas or being malnourished, ran over with a wagging tail and a lolling tongue.
“[He] was a very well-behaved and well-mannered dog,” Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Corey Dierdorff told HeroFuel®. “He would sit and shake hands, so the crew knew he wasn’t a stray.”
When the team peeked outside to see if anyone was looking for a lost pet, there was no one to be found. But this is how you know a firefighter’s heart is true and that they are committed to serve above the call of duty: As weary as they were from a long day, instead of tucking in to rest, they gave the dog a bath and got him something to drink, while other crew members ran to the store to get him food. And to keep their new pal warm throughout the night, they used their own blankets and pillows to make him a bed in the dayroom of their fire station.
“In the morning…we called pet resources to see if he was microchipped. Pet resources responded to Station 5 and scanned the pup. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a microchip,” Dierdorff said.
The team didn’t give up there. Although there was a line of many charmed firefighters who were willing to take him home, they knew that this dog belonged to a family in the county. At more than 1 million people in the area, it would be a long shot, but they knew any chance was better than none.
“That’s when we decided to reach out via social media,” he said. “We also wanted to make sure that he got home to the right owner.”
The public relations team headed over to the station and took videos and photos of the Dalmatian pup. He had a few identifying body marks that only the true owner would be able to name. The team shared their story and a video on Facebook, which now has reached more than 52,000 views.
Within hours, the pup’s family reached out to their page — and they came forward with the Dalmatian’s name, Chico.
“They were able to give us the area that he went missing from, and was able to identify the marks on Chico. They came to the station later that night, and picked Chico up,” Dierdorff said.
The feelings of the crew during the reunion were definitely bittersweet, as Chico already dug his way into their hearts.
“You really can’t get any more American than a Dalmatian walking into a fire station. He really made everyone’s day while he was at the station. Station 5 is one of the busiest stations in the county, and it was really nice to have a friendly face for crews when they returned from calls,” he said.
Still, there is a bigger picture to this happy tail.
“We all take an oath to protect life and property when we start the job. This is one case where crews went the extra mile to protect a life. No matter if it is human or animal, we always do our best to protect any life and have a good outcome,” Dierdorff said.
Every dog has its day, and thanks to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Chico definitely had his!
