Since before the age of the automobile, Dalmatians have been a firehouse fixture. In the early days, they would help guide the horses by scouting and clearing paths on the way to fires; during down time, they would protect the horses and valuable equipment from thieves. For firefighters, they were more than companions, they were working partners.
Along with horses and pinup calendars, Dalmatians became firefighting icons, visually tied to the firehouse and fire truck -- heroic figures, even if their function by the mid-20th century had become more "lovable mascot" than "canine hero."
But even if the Dalmatian is not always found at the scene of a fire, they still perform an important job as ambassadors of fire safety, teaching lessons to young people who can't help but listen when the message is delivered by dog...
This story out of Eugene, Oregon* serves as a reminder of the firehouse dog's evolution and how the human-animal bond remains, even as times change:
While I have always suspected canine intelligence to be underrated, the message of "If a dog can do it, you can too!" is powerful, and just one more clever hook in keeping the kids' full attention while demonstrating fire prevention and safety tips (plus, how often do you get to see a dog dial 911?)...
The job may have changed, but the firehouse dog is still saving lives.
This ought to be fun!
*In the interest of full disclosure, NAIA has some personal ties to Casey -- hard not to know and love the little guy -- but it's not like we need much of an excuse to write about Dalmatians and their evolution as firehouse dogs...
