Shout Outs from the FielD

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"I cannot thank First Responder Therapy Dogs enough for the love and compassion and outpouring support to my organization the past 3 days.  The happiness the dogs and handlers brought to our hurting agency and just the ministry of being present to listen and sit a while was amazing."

— East Palo Alto Police Department,  Palo Alto, CA

"Sparkie (and her handler Tracy) bring such a breath of fresh air to all of our staff!  I can’t begin to thank you both enough! 

As you know the past 2 years have been quite a time. Now that we have been able to learn and take better control over the Covid situation, our staff is beginning to take a deep breath again.  It’s great to see Sparkie out there doing what you do. Dispatchers, Nurses, Doctors, Parametrics, Firefighters and Police officers will all benefit from spending time with your man's best friend Sparkie.  Thanks again for all that you do. We all look forward to seeing you again soon."

— Deputy Director South Shore Regional Emergency Communication Center,  Plymouth County, MA

“Winston’s love is unconditional and unspoken at our Fire Department. As author George Eliot said, animals ‘ask no questions and pass no criticisms.’ His furry and calming presence is a welcome relief to our Firefighters at our stations – and he even comes to our class graduations. Sometimes you don’t need to speak … you just need to be. And Winston lets us do just that. He also knows who needs his love the most that day as his eyes and heart are open to our good days and bad days. Thank you to Winston and First Responder Therapy Dogs for all you do for those who serve.” 

— Seminole County Fire Department’s Peer Support Team Leader, Seminole County, FL

“Having Kerith as a resource has been wonderful! Getting to start the day with breakfast, a cup of coffee and love from Kerith at base camp of Woodward incident, truly felt incredible. Especially being on 12 hour shifts, It was nice to start the day with a little bit of normalcy. I could truly feel that it kept motivation and moral up for not just me, but my entire engine company as well. Kerith has a unique way of making you feel loved.”

— Firefighter/Paramedic, Marin County, CA

“I’m the wife of the firefighter who was FaceTiming with his girls while visiting with Kerith. I just want to thank you so much for all you are doing. As much as he truly loves his job, he has been gone the entire summer missing home and he was happier with that dog than I have ever seen him while on a fire! We have a giant chocolate lab at home on our ranch named Hank and he and Eric are best friends! I know this helped boost him up until he can return home! Thank you thank you thank you!”

— Wife of a Firefighter in Marin County, CA

"We are a Regional Emergency Communications Center located in the South Shore region of MA and our team of Telecommunicators are constantly handling high priority emergency calls for service. The frequent visits by Sparkie and her handler, Tracy have been a tremendous benefit to the morale of our department. When I inform our team that Sparkie and Tracy are coming by for a visit, they become so excited and it’s nice to see the smiles on their faces. It doesn’t matter how challenging of a day they have had, as soon as Sparkie comes in  (and she knows exactly where to go!), the mood of the room instantly changes for the better. We appreciate Tracy for recognizing the importance of the mental health of our team and the fact that she volunteers her time in addition to having a full-time job and raising a family. First Responder Therapy Dogs is a wonderful organization and we are thankful they have become part of our family!"

— Deputy Director of Communications, Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Cntr, Norfolk County, MA

  “Being able to see Kerith allows me to slow down and take my mind off of the ever changing and tumultuous days we deal with. When we used to have her come to the stations she was able to keep the morale up in times where the crew needed it most. Since Covid hit we have not been able to see her as much and I feel that she hasn’t been able to keep the momentum necessary in the county to assist with our mental health. I look forward to seeing her at the stations more and seeing how she sparks a new movement for therapy dogs in the fire service.”

— Firefighter/Paramedic, Marin County, CA

“Kerith has been an amazing asset to our department! She provides a sense of comfort and a feeling of “home” whenever she is able to visit. With the massive wildfires that California see’s every year and tragic calls that happen every day causing unimaginable amounts of stress to all of us first responders, she is a light in a dark room that keeps us going throughout the year. From firefighters in the field, to the dispatchers behind the mic, Kerith and her smiles are vital to the mental health of first responders throughout Marin county. We love you Kerith!”

— Fire Dispatcher, Marin County, CA

“Visits from Kerith really help to brighten up the day. During her visits, her energy & enthusiasm help me decompress from hard tasks which reframes my mind to keep giving my all to my community members.”

— Fire Department Administration, MArin County, CA

ALWAYS A SMILE ON HER FACE

“Having Kerith as a resource brings so much happiness to the day. She always has a smile on her face and is so loving, you can’t help but smile and feel more at home when she’s around. Regular visits with Kerith would definitely help with the moral especially now during COVID.”

—  Firefighter/Paramedic, Marin County, CA

“2020 has presented new challenges for frontline healthcare workers, and Kerith’s visits have been a bright spot in an otherwise harrowing year. Kerith is exactly the visit you need after a long shift, a difficult call, or simply during a random moment where you need to smile. She is the ‘piece of home’ that lifts you up during the extended time away from your family and loved ones. Kerith’s visits to local hospitals, fire stations, as well as wildland fire base camps have been priceless, and her service to us is greatly appreciated. I consider her a fellow frontline worker. Thank you so much, Kerith – we all appreciate you!.”

— Firefighter/Paramedic, Marin County

“I’m a firefighter. I never thought I’d need therapy or any sort of mental health support for the work I do. I met Kerith over a year ago when I was working on the ambulance. Her visits made my shifts go by faster and through those visits I developed a relationship with the worlds sweetest dog. Her handler, Heidi, would always make themselves available after difficult calls. The unconditional love from Kerith started the healing process after calls in a way critical stress debriefings work for many others. Trust me, I’ve tried them and longed after relief from the painful process of rehashing the calls. It’s never really worked for me.

Now, Kerith is part of my mental health team. Having always worked with a sense of purpose and duty, the transition to be the one receiving care is difficult. Kerith makes that process much easier because she loves and doesn’t judge. She helps the healing process by beginning to break down those walls we put up to protect ourselves and provides for lots of laughs along the way.

As firefighters, we don’t realize how the traumas we experience affect us until the symptoms become apparent to others. With Kerith, I am less apprehensive to accept treatment and accept help and recover.

Kerith has improved my mental health both on duty and off duty. She’s more than a dog to me and I am forever grateful for the service she provides to first responders.”

— Firefighter/Paramedic, Marin County, CA

"Therapy dogs have been an excellent source of comfort and companionship for the collective fire service dealing with high-stress environments. We are fortunate in Marin to have Kerith and her owner/handler Heidi who have assisted our department with the ongoing needs of behavioral health. Kerith has visited stations, base camps, hospitals, and debriefings over the last 15 months. She has provided therapy to our firefighters without the perceived stigma of traditional therapy services.  

Our firefighters spend much of their summer away from their families, whether assigned to stations or incidents. The visitation of Kerith has assisted in creating some source of normalcy in an emergency environment. This therapy allows firefighters to let their guard down and connect with an animal as if it was their own family animal. The affection they share with Kerith is a tremendous aid to their mental well-being. 

Kerith is trained to look for the uniform; she is drawn to fire personnel, calmly looks for signs of stress, and provides support. I fully support and endorse the services of Kerith and have unending thanks for her owner Heidi who has shared her with us. Kerith is a valuable and welcomed addition to our department support services and is a vital shared resource of our fire family.”

— Battalion Chief, Emergency Medical Service, Marin County, CA