GILMER COUNTY, Ga. — A dog that was orphaned when his owner died in a house fire has found a new lease on life thanks to some compassionate Gilmer County animal lovers.
On January 24, Gilmer County Fire Rescue crews responded to a house fire.
When they arrived, the home was engulfed in flames.
While they worked to extinguish the fire, a small dog wandered through the scene.
Despite the chaos of the fire, the dog stayed close to the responders.
As firefighters stepped away for brief moments of rest, he would trot up to them and sit beside them silently.
Hours later when the fire was extinguished, firefighters learned the homeowner died during the blaze.
Two days later a Gilmer County Fire Rescue Chief returned to the scene to assess the damage and check on the surviving animals.
As he arrived at the burned home, he saw a familiar face come running up, the same small dog.
The chief discovered several dogs living on the property in a shed in the back.
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With no family immediately available to take him in, firefighters stepped up.
The dog was taken back to Station 1.
At first, he was hesitant to settle into his new environment.
He was given the name Riggs and was taken to Friends of Gilmer Animal Shelter (a Gilmer County animal charity) for medical treatment.
Riggs was neutered, vaccinated, and treated for fleas and ticks.
Sharon Callan, a dog trainer at Paws Be Good 4 U and founder of Shelter Dogs for Veterans, donated her time to train Lt. Riggs.
Gilmer County citizens donated a welded outdoor kennel, a sturdy igloo doghouse, and provided a subscription to Chewy for boxes filled with toys and treats.
Lt. Riggs will be the first therapy dog for the fire department.
He will help comfort first responders and victims in moments of crisis.
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