A new therapy dog joins the Argos Fire Department and is already serving the community.
Kate, a nine-month-old golden doodle joined the fire department earlier this Spring. One of her primary handlers, Annalyse Lindsey, an Argos firefighter and EMT, has already seen a positive impact. “Kate is a great addition to our firefighter family. Attitudes and team building have been positively impacted with her being here.”
The Argos Firemen’s Inc., the volunteer group of firefighters serving the Argos Community, purchased Kate from private funding and donations they have received. Her upkeep will also be funded by the volunteer group and donations from the community.
President of the volunteer group, Dennis Mark, states “Kate has already shown to bring extra smiles to all who meet her. She attended our Easter Breakfast and was loved by all.”
Dogs have a long history of serving fire departments. They have been proven to provide both physical and mental benefits.
Firefighters are one of the highest stress jobs. They often see people experience one of the hardest times in their life. Mark adds “the trauma we see weighs heavily on us and it is often hard to let it go. Kate being at the station helps us decompress and is a happy distraction to what we encounter.”
Kate’s job is greeting firefighters and guests at the station. She gets regular exercise and has her own space. When Kate reaches one-year-old, she will begin her therapy certification training. In the meantime, she is learning commands at the station. Kate is calm and very friendly. She will be attending community events in the future.
Additional information about the Town of Argos can be found online at www.townofargos.com and on social media @townofargos.
