Heroic Clementine gives solace to other heroes.
The 3-year-old Catahoula/hound mix’s tale begins in 2021 when she was abandoned at a Louisiana animal shelter and later became a fireman. An ASPCA Animal Relocation team moved Clementine from the shelter to Tri-City Animal Shelter in Cedar Hill, Texas after she arrived in order to shield her from Hurricane Ida.
When Captain Robert Moree of the Cedar Hill Fire Department suggested to his crew and the town administration that the department adopt a dog to help firemen deal with their stressful duties, the hound dog had already been adopted, returned twice, and was still looking for a forever home.
“They immediately offered their full support,” Moree told PEOPLE of the response to his pooch proposal.
Clementine ended up as the pup Cedar Hill Fire Department picked to join their squad by chance.
“One day, after I responded to a call that was not far from the Tri-City Animal Shelter, I decided to stop in to see what dogs they had available. I knew we wanted to rescue to help bring awareness to adopting from local shelters. I explained that we wanted a dog they were having a harder time placing, preferably one that was older and would easily adjust to the fire station without needing the attention and training a puppy would,” Moree explained.
The dog was adopted by Fire Station #212 of the Cedar Hill Fire Department in October 2021, just a few hours after Moree first met her. Taking a walk with each firefighter, the fire captain claimed that Clementine quickly forged bonds with the station’s five firefighters.
“Today, she’s a bit of a celebrity amongst the local fire stations here in southeast Dallas, joining us on calls and training and leaving a lasting impact on everyone she meets along the way,” Moree added.
The rescue dog has been instrumental in helping the heroes of Fire Station #212 deal with upsetting calls and demanding shifts over the past year. Clementine has her own play yard and lives on-site at the station full-time, so she is always available to assist her employees.
“As firefighters, we’re typically thought of as the ‘macho guys,’ but the things we experience leave a lasting impact on us, and, at times, it can be hard to share our emotions after responding to some tough situations. Clementine not only makes the station feel more like home during our 24-hour shifts but also offers a positive, constant boost to morale and keeps us excited to come to the station,” Moree said of Clementine’s impact.
“She can easily read the room and sense emotions from the minute our crew walks in after a call, and when she walks up to everyone with her tail wagging and seeking their attention, it’s easy for us to lose ourselves. For the moment when you’re petting or playing with her, those tough situations don’t feel as tough anymore,” he continued.
Clementine’s ability to bond with Fire Station #212’s crew and provide therapeutic support during overwhelming moments earned her the Dog of the Year Award from the 2022 ASPCA Humane Awards.
“Clementine represents how a shelter dog can be both a beloved pet and a valuable source of therapeutic support and comfort, which is reflected so well in her moving interactions and remarkable behavioral development with these firemen. As a shelter animal transported out of the path of an upcoming hurricane, she also demonstrates the lifesaving value of animal relocation,” Matt Bershadker, ASPCA’s president and CEO, shared in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
“Our hope is that people see Clementine’s story and are inspired to support animal welfare efforts locally and nationally so that more “underdogs” like Clementine—at-risk animals or animals with special needs or challenges — can find second chances to survive and thrive in safe and loving homes,” Bershadker added.
Moree and the rest of Clementine’s crew are proud of their award-winning pet.
Source: People
