After being rescued from a hot car parked at the beach, a young puppy was adopted by firefighters and is officially joining their ranks.
Riggs, a 6-month-old beagle mix, has become the official Station Support Dog at the East Haven Fire Department in Connecticut.
He was found locked in a car at a public beach with a temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite the intense heat, Riggs was found in good health, which is rare for animals abandoned in hot vehicles. He was eventually surrendered to an East Haven Animal Control officer but not before stealing the hearts of the first responders.
After a brief war to adopt Riggs among the police department, fire department, and even Mayor Joseph Carfora, the firefighters ultimately won. "We're a compassionate group here and we took an immediate liking to him and decided he'd be a good fit for us," said Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli to NBC.
The East Haven FD was between a few different names including Cinder and Ash, but a poll with over 700 public participants decided "Riggs," a common name for a fire truck and a signifier , was the winner.
Riggs will play a role in helping the firefighters deal with the stress of their job and act as a friendly distraction from the challenges they face. "We see a lot of tragedy and some folks try to internalize it. We have ways of dealing with it and he's going to be one of those ways to help us," said Marcarelli.
Now that he's acclimated in his furever home, Riggs will also make appearances at community events as an ambassador of the fire department.
