WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla Fire Department is welcoming a furry recruit to its ranks, marking the first time in over a century that a canine has officially served the agency.
Walter, a 3-month-old golden retriever nicknamed “Wally,” joined the department’s CARES (Community Assistance Referral and Education Services) program this week as a crisis and community engagement canine. Donated to WWFD from Bend, Oregon, Wally will provide peer support for first responders and assist in behavioral health crisis outreach across the city.
The initiative is funded by a grant from the University of Washington School of Social Work’s Behavioral Health Crisis Outreach Response and Education program. Officials believe Walla Walla is currently the only fire department in the state to integrate a canine into its CARES program.
The Walla Walla Fire Department’s CARES team improves community health by connecting frequent users of emergency services with long-term medical and social resources. By addressing chronic needs and providing non-emergency alternatives, the program aims to reduce hospital readmissions and 911 reliance for non-urgent issues.
Wally follows in the footsteps of Sport, an English-Boston bulldog mix who served as the department’s first mascot. Sport’s service ended tragically when he was killed in the line of duty on June 4, 1895. Wally is expected to begin formal therapy certification training soon.
Photos courtesy Walla Walla Fire Department