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The Santa Monica Fire Department welcomed the latest addition to its crew on Monday: Roger, Support Dog.
Roger, a six-year-old British Labrador, is a certified support K-9 trained to provide comfort and dating. He is the first team member of SMPD’s new K-9 peer support program.
SMPD launched its program this week. This is an initiative that it said is designed to support the mental health and well-being of firefighters and other city employees and community members.
“In collaboration with designated peer support team handlers, Roger will visit the fire station, attend announcements after a serious incident, participate in community events to interact with the public, and be made available to firefighters and city employees who need emotional support,” SMPD explained in the release.
Roger, a six-year-old English Labrador, is welcomed by the Santa Monica Fire Station crew as the first team member of the department’s K-9 Peer Support Program. April 2025 (SMFD)
This will be the second job of a furry pioneer. Firefighters told KTLA that Roger was originally trained as a guide dog to help blind people.
“We are thrilled to be able to implement this program as a proactive step in supporting the mental health of firefighters and city employees,” said Fire Chief Matthew Hallock. “The presence of treatment dogs has been proven to lower stress levels, improve morale and encourage open conversations about mental health.”
SMPD pointed out that, given the intense, often traumatic nature of the work facing firefighters, adding Roger to the crew and launching the programme is intended to help prioritize healthy and supportive work environments.
“We believe this initiative will have a meaningful impact on our team,” Chief Hallock said.
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