Ice-cold meeting has a warm, happy ending for firefighter and her new roommate

A firefighter’s chance meeting with some cold, lost dogs Sunday night is a story that ends on a heartwarming note.

A crew headed back to the downtown fire station on Ellen Street after a call spotted the canine quartet and stopped to investigate.

Nick Kasper, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, said the dogs got spooked and ran away. The firefighters were able to coax them out from behind a dumpster.

“They were very skittish and very afraid… but the guys used an old trick in the playbook,” Kasper said Tuesday. “Some of our guys carry around dog treats in their travel gear. They encounter dogs quite often on calls so it helps make friends early. They plied them with some dog treats and quickly became friends on the street.

“They were obviously in distress. It was frigid (outside) and it was pretty apparent they were not where they were supposed to be.”

The crew loaded the four dogs into the truck and, once back at the station, they quickly warmed up and were given food and water.

Firefighter paramedic Adrienne Hobbs fell in love with a four-month-old mutt she later learned was named Sheba.

“She was so friendly,” Hobbs said. “She sat on my legs and kissed my face. An hour later we found out two of the dogs had an owner, but two were foster dogs and this one was available.

“It just felt like fate.”

On Monday Hobbs applied to Spirit of Hope, a dog rescue organization, and late Tuesday afternoon she found out she has a new roommate.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “As firefighters, we have a tool called a halligan — it is one of our irons, a prying tool.

“We will name her Halligan, Hally for short.”

Cathie Mieyette, who founded Spirit of Hope 14 years ago, said the organization has rescued 4,000 dogs from northern communities.

Mieyette said it’s unusual to have someone find a lost dog on Winnipeg’s snowy streets and apply for adoption.

“Someone opened the back gate and the dogs got out,” she said. “I give accolades to the firefighters for stopping and helping out.

“This is just such a feel-good story.”

Mieyette said while Sheba… Hally is only four months old, it was the second time she had to survive for a time in the cold.

“She was found in an abandoned vehicle in Nelson House on Dec. 26. She was only seven weeks old then and the door was open when RCMP found her. It was -30. It’s amazing the puppy is alive.”

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Deputy Chief Scott Wilkinson was impressed with the crew.

“They go above and beyond to help people all the time and they also go above and beyond to help people’s animals,” Wilkinson said

“It is great to see them making that extra effort to look after animals and get animal services to the spot they needed to be.”

Zoe Austin, general manager of the city’s animal control services, said all four animals were returned to the dog owner and foster parent the next day because one of them had identification.

“A lot of people don’t know that animal control services respond to house fires and medical events when there is an animal on the scene,” Austin said.

“The gate was open, they got out for a romp around the neighbourhood and, thank goodness, the firefighters were there to keep them safe until we got there.”

Christina Von Schindler, CEO of the Winnipeg Humane Society, said the crew’s actions “underscore a dedication to serving all members of our community with compassion.”

“We also want to recognize Winnipeg Animal Services for their vital role in caring for these dogs on their journey home,” she said. “Thanks to this team effort, this heartwarming story has had such a happy ending.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca