‘Above and beyond the call of duty’: See how Florida firefighters helped a pet owner

To the rescue!

According to a Facebook post from Alachua County Fire Rescue, firefighters responded to a call regarding a patient who lived alone on Monday afternoon.

They determined the man was “in serious condition” and needed to go to the hospital. But the patient refused to be transported because he was worried about his dog as there was no one to watch him. A spokesman for the agency told the Miami Herald that he did not want him to go with animal control, either.

So the crew from station 21 located in the City of Alachua, outside Gainesville, offered to take the dog and keep it until the patient was treated and released.

Slight issue: it was “covered” in fleas. So the guys stopped at a Walgreens to get the pooch some medicine, the post says.

A social media picture shows the pup surrounded by three uniformed men; one, Lieutenant Grant Bosier, applies a dropper of flea treatment to the animal’s coat.

After the dog was cleaned up, Firefighter Trainee Dwayne Hughes reportedly volunteered to keep the pet until his owner came home.

“This crew went above and beyond the call of duty and demonstrated the excellent service we strive to provide for those in Alachua County,” the post concludes. “Strong work, station 21!”