Going To The Dogs: Canine Help May Soon Come For Braintree Firefighters

BRAINTREE, MA — They may be cute and cuddly, but therapy dogs perform sometimes lifesaving missions. And now a firefighter is trying to bring canine help to first responders in Braintree and beyond.

Andrew Leneweaver has launched a crowdsourcing campaign to pay for the fire department’s adoption and training of a therapy dog, named “Halli Halligan,” according to a social media post.

She’s a blonde Labrador retriever, almost three months old now and preparing to join the BFD as a sworn-in firefighter.

Leneweaver, a 20-plus-year veteran of the department, hopes to harness Halli in a program of free support for emergency responders.

“This dog will serve as a resource for all first responders and public servants in Braintree and the surrounding communities,” Leneweaver wrote on a GoFundMe page.

“She will be the first of her kind in this area and will be available to respond to traumatic incidents and critical events, helping to reduce stress, promote wellness and ultimately save lives.”

Suicide and post-traumatic stress are major hazards for emergency personnel. But therapy dogs – specially trained to detect and respond to mental health problems – provide a unique form of help.

Halli will also be available to help local students and faculty in times of crisis, according to the campaign.

The fire department is supporting the therapy dog program, but “all training and ongoing care will be funded exclusively through donations,” Leneweaver wrote.

The independent effort has set a goal of raising $7,000, and on Wednesday afternoon, had surpassed the halfway mark.

To learn more, click here.