South Metro Fire welcomes emotional support dog Hal thanks to Soldier’s 6
A new guy at the South Metro Fire Department in West St. Paul is quickly making friends.
His full name is Halligan, but he’ll answer to Hal. The golden retriever puppy joined the department in recent weeks.
“Hopefully, brighten their day,” said Terry Johnson, chief of prevention and EMS. “The crews love him, he’s really fit in well, people are super excited to see him.”
Hal was brought in to help the first responders with their mental and emotional health.
“We’re going to work with him to key in on people who are struggling and sit with them,” Johnson said.
That emotional support dog training program has already begun for Hal and Johnson, and thanks to Soldier’s 6, they’ve attended their first class along with other puppies.
The nonprofit, founded by former police officer Ed Abrahamson, has placed more than 180 K-9s with first responders and veterans since 2016.
“It’s the bond, it’s the relationship, it’s care and the love that they are able to give back to us,” Abrahamson said.
Soldier’s 6 pays the dogs’ vet bills and covers their special training.
“If you are around dogs long enough, they are very smart, they are very intelligent, and they know how to read us,” Abrahamson said.
South Metro firefighters were called to the scene of a fatal shooting and a deadly house fire in the past couple of weeks.
When the crews returned to the station, Hal was there.
“I made sure to bring in the dog to hang with the crews, just to interact with Hal,” Johnson said. “He did his work they were able to decompress.”
Solider’s 6 was able to place Hal not too far away from his brother, Riley, who is now stationed with the officers at the South St. Paul Fire Department.