Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara County Fire Department
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department would like to welcome its newest member, Rhonda, who is the Department’s first Emotional Support Canine. Rhonda was trained over a 9-month period to recognize signs of agitation, anxiety, and stress and interrupt those behaviors by providing affection and enabling individuals to express themselves in a safe environment.
Rhonda will assist firefighters after emotionally challenging calls or with personal issues. Firefighter Sam Dudley has been assigned as Rhonda’s handler. Rhonda will be with Firefighter Dudley every day, both at work and at home.
With firefighter depression and PTSD rates five times higher than the general population, Rhonda will help ensure Santa Barbara County firefighters are working at their highest potential and support the department’s efforts in sustaining long lasting, healthy careers. Rhonda will be available 24/7 to support all area fire agencies within Santa Barbara County. She may also be utilized statewide.
Facilitated by the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance and generous donations from the Wood- Claeyssens Foundation as well as the Manitou Fund, which supported the purchase of a Ford F150 XL pickup truck, specifically outfitted for Rhonda, to be used by the Department for transportation between assignments. Additionally, the Pet House in Goleta has generously offered to supply (donate) all food for Rhonda, and assist with grooming costs.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department is very excited to welcome Rhonda to the fire department team and as a member of our fire family.
Hello, 911, my house has been burglarized. Everything in my house has been stolen. Please send the emotional support dog.
Help, help me, Rhonda!
Barf. Really, what is this costing in these times of budgetary stress?
I’m torn about this. Love dogs, agree that emotional support animals help, care about elevated firefighter depression… But, isn’t that why firefighters have great benefits? You wouldn’t hire a doctor to provide checkups for firefighters, because, obviously, health insurance covers it. Is this really that different? Rhonda is mental health treatment at her core, very very cute mental health treatment. Idk, times are tough and getting tougher financially speaking, and while cute, Rhonda is an expense to treat a symptom that firefighters already have benefits for. I hope this was a well thought out decision.
The dog is available 24/7 and a therapist or psychiatrist wouldn’t be. I think every fire station should have a “Rhonda”.
Whatever she costs, she is worth it. Imagine what firefighters see, cutting people out of smashed cars and carrying burned people out of buildings. Every fire station should have a Rhonda.
Was Rhonda a shelter dog that got saved for this program? If she gets to live with a family, then she will probably have a great life, so hard to argue against this program.
Anyone else a little disappointed she isn’t a dalmatian?