Therapy dogs lowering stress of Port Royal-Beaufort firefighters. Now they’re modeling stars
Each month, therapy dogs — from French bulldogs to golden retrievers to labradoodles to Doberman pinschers — are let loose at Beaufort-Port Royal Fire Department fire stations to shower love on the firefighters and vice versa. The idea behind bringing the caring canines and public servants together was lowering the stress of the men and women who regularly face life-and-death situations.
But when the visits began last summer, nobody knew that the dogs and firefighters would end up being featured together in a 20-month calendar that’s already sold hundreds of copies and raised thousands for charity.
Local real estate agent Rebecca W. Bass, a therapy dog trainer and photographer, came up with the idea of bringing the therapy dogs to local fire stations and later raised the idea for the calendar after watching the interaction between the firefighters and the dogs. The photographs, says Bass, symbolize the strength, courage and compassion of the community’s first responders and its canine heroes, with each month showcasing a firefighter and a therapy dog with a fire truck as a backdrop.
One month, for example, features a lovable flat-faced French bulldog named Thor in the big tattooed arms of firefighter Wes Carter. Another has firefighter Lucas MacLellan holding the leashes of two noble-looking Dobermans named Ocho and Elke who are Bass’ own dogs. Elke died before the calendar was published.
Some 500 copies of the calendar have sold for $25 a piece, raising more than $8,000 for Beaufort County Animal Services, Child Abuse Prevention Association and the South Carolina Burned Children’s Fund. Those $2,700 checks for each organization were delivered this week.
A calendar featuring local firefighters and therapy dogs as models was not the initial intent. About a year ago, Bass approached the Beaufort-Port Royal Fire Department with the idea of bringing therapy dogs to fire stations to bring some joy and comfort to the firefighters. It’s a high-stress job, she thought.
“When they get called,” Bass noted, “it’s usually not for good news.”
The firefighters and the therapy dogs hit it off so well during the monthly visits that Bass swears she could see the blood pressure and stress levels of the firefighters dropping before her eyes.
Bass is a therapy dog tester with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, which certifies therapy dogs across the nation. In that role, she observes visits by the dogs to local hospitals, reading programs for kids, nursing homes, hospice care, U.S. Marine bases and other locations. She brings her own dogs, Doberman pinschers, to those locations as well. Fierce-looking Dobermans, she says, get a bad rap even though they are very empathetic.
“My girls know exactly who to go over to and lean against and look at lovingly with their eyes,” she says. “You can’t train that.”
A light bulb went on when she observed the rapport between the therapy dogs and the firefighters. “I said, ‘You know what? We should do a calendar featuring therapy dogs and firefighters.”
Then the photo shoots began at various locations including fire stations and the Pigeon Point and Broad River boat landings. She let the firefighters chose the therapy dog that would join them in the modeling sessions. Firefighter and therapy dog would begin each shoot with some play time.
“I told them to relax and enjoy themselves with the dogs and just started shooting,” Bass said.
She recruited a friend, Rita Wilson, the owner of AlphaGraphics, to provide design and printing services and local businesses Shellring Ale Works, Ladys Island Feed and Seed and Carolina Floral Design chipped in by hosting fundraising events.
Bass considers this year’s calendar as a collector’s item and hasn’t ruled out more in the future.
Ross Vezin, a spokesman for the Beaufort-Port Royal Fire Department, said the firefighters look forward to hanging out with dogs each month. They even collect little baseball-type cards that are given out for each dog that include information about them including their age and favorite food.
“It’s good for the firefighters and the dogs,” Vezin says. “Who doesn’t like dogs coming up to the firehouse and enjoying some time together?”
Calendars
Calendars can be ordered by emailing rebecca@seabassproperties.com. The cost is $25.
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 1:18 PM.
