Station pet?

[Carrie Lendon]

Just curious:

We are looking into getting a station pet and possibly having it trained and registered as a therapy animal.

How many of you have a station pet or been around a station pet? What’s your feel on it? How is the responsibilies shared?

Thanks!

 

[luke_31]

Make sure that whatever pet you get that nobody at the station is allergic or doesn't like them. Would also be good to establish off limits areas for the pet, like dorm rooms, in case anyone doesn't like the pet or is mildly allergic and needs an allergy free area.

 

[PotatoMedic]

One of the fire stations has a fish.

 

[E tank]

 

[DrParasite]

I know of a station that had bed bugs... does that count as a pet?

 

[Tigger]

We had a newt. It was feral. It was not a good idea.

But seriously, that is an awesome idea.

 

[WolfmanHarris]

One of our Rapid Response Unit guys stayed at a station so much during his shifts they started to call him the station pet.

 

[Peak]

We had some mice that would chew holes through our bunkers.

 

[hometownmedic5]

I work with a guy who brings his service dog to work and most of the guys on both the EMS side and fire side seem to be alright with it. You hear the occasional grumble, but never very loud or very long.

The bottom line is it will be just like getting a puppy as a kid. In the beginning it will be the best thing ever, then the shine is going to wear off and its going to become an annoyance to some and a burden for a few who will quickly find they are the only ones who care and do much of anything for the animal. Basically, look at who had a pet at home and who doesn't. If you have more don'ts than do's, this idea probably isn't going to work out the way you think.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Who takes the dog out when everyone is out on a call?

 

[Carlos Danger]

In the beginning it will be the best thing ever, then the shine is going to wear off and its going to become an annoyance to some and a burden for a few who will quickly find they are the only ones who care and do much of anything for the animal.

This.

There’s a decent chance that it just won’t work out as well as you hope, and the animal will be the one who suffers.

 

[hometownmedic5]

Who takes the dog out when everyone is out on a call?

Whoever gets back first. Far from a perfect system I admit, but the man came back from the sand box missing pieces. If I need to clean up the occasional mess to make things easier for him, I can live with that.