>Dolly the Fire Dog

>

Meet Dolly the Dalmatian. Dolly was a fire dog that I remember from my childhood. She worked at a fire station downtown in Erie, Pennsylvania, although I can't remember which one. I tried to email both the Erie Fire Department and the Firefighter's Historical Museum to find out more about Dolly, but I never got a response. My mother probably remembers Dolly better than I do, but I remember seeing Dolly a few times when I was very young. She used to ride in the fire engines for all of the parades, and I remember that she was quite proud. My mother loved Dolly. I have a very vague memory of my mother taking me to the fire station to see Dolly one day, and 30 years later, I still haven't forgotten her. In the photo above, you can see that I'm about halfway finished beading her. When she is complete, she will accompany my beaded 1943 Chevy fire truck.

We all associate Dalmatians with fire trucks. The dogs came first came into use because they were loyal and easy to train. They have shared barns and hunting trails with horses for centuries. So, when fire apparatus was horse-drawn, most firehouses had a Dalmatian. These dogs were companions for the horses, but they also guarded the fire station. More importantly, Dalmatians directed the horses by clearing the path for them while they were on their way to a fire. When fire stations did away with the horse-drawn fire wagons and replaced them with fire trucks, both the horses and the dogs lost their jobs. But, today, some fire stations still keep a Dalmatian as a mascot, guard dog, and as a companion for the firefighters.

If you're looking into getting a Dalmatian, please consider adopting one before going to a breeder. These dogs have worked hard for many years by helping to rescue human beings. The least you could do for them is save one from euthanization. For more information about these dogs and where you can find a rescue organization near you, please visit 1-800-Save-a-Pet.com.