Rita The Fairfield County Therapy Dog

Rita The Fairfield County Therapy Dog Proud graduate of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws & Stripes College.

From a "second chance" shelter pup to a certified Law Enforcement Investigative Therapy K9, I’m here to provide comfort and support for the FCEMS

🐾 Paws and Cones: National Ice Cream Month Wrap-Up! 🍦Aroooo! Rita here, your hardest-working (and definitely most enthus...
08/03/2026

🐾 Paws and Cones: National Ice Cream Month Wrap-Up! 🍦

Aroooo! Rita here, your hardest-working (and definitely most enthusiastic) Fairfield County therapy dog!

Friday, July 31st was an absolute tail-wagger of a day at the Fairfield County Administration offices. To properly wrap up National Ice Cream Month, our amazing administration hosted a sweet-treat social for all of our hard-working county employees.

Special super-sized thanks go out to Hot Rod Ice Cream for rolling in with the goods, and to Miss Samantha Copeland for serving up smiles and delicious scoops with lightning-fast speed!I made the absolute best rounds, soaking up all the pets, and hanging out with my favorite humans: DC Dineen, Captain Smith, stellar Paramedics Brittany and Felipe, our wonderful EMT Lydia, and EMS Office Administrator Tiffany. I even got to share some quality chill time with County Administrator Vic Carpenter and our County Information Officer Gene!

My tummy was full, my furry coworkers were refreshed, and public service has truly never tasted so sweet. Until the next scoop, stay cool out there! 🐾❤️



🐾 Licking faces and chasing helicopters! Today was a BLAST! 🚁💨My Fairfield County Fire Service humans had a super import...
07/31/2026

🐾 Licking faces and chasing helicopters! Today was a BLAST! 🚁

💨My Fairfield County Fire Service humans had a super important Landing Zone (LZ) training on Tuesday 7/28, and you know I had to be right in the middle of the action!

📚 The Classroom Part: Flight Nurse Amanda was inside teaching everyone how to be safe around the bird. I decided to skip the boring lecture notes (I don't have thumbs to write anyway) and stayed outside to keep watch.

👋 Making the Rounds: First, I caught up with all my usual firefighter besties to collect my mandatory belly rubs. Once the helicopter landed, I trotted right over to meet the awesome LifeNet 2 crew out of Camden. They are officially approved by Rita!

🛸 Exploration Mode: They let me sniff around the entire aircraft! I gave it a full safety inspection. It's a definite10/10 for coolness.

📸 Paparazzi Time: Before they took off, I made sure to snag some photos with my new absolute favorite humans, Amanda and Franklin. Thank you LifeNet 2 for being so sweet to me!

Then it was time for a long nap... keeping these first responders happy is hard work! 💤❤️



07/02/2026

🐾 Rita’s Kitchen: 3 Easy Frozen Treats for Hot Dogs 🐾
Since I am the official taste-tester for Fairfield County EMS, I took my job very seriously and personally approved these recipes. They use simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen!🧊 1. The "Pupsicle" Ice Cube Surprise
This is the easiest treat ever, and it keeps us hydrated while we play!
- Ingredients: Low-sodium chicken or beef broth (make sure it has no onion or garlic), water, and small dog treats.
- How to make: Fill an ice cube tray halfway with a 50/50 mix of broth and water. Drop a small dog treat or blueberry into each slot. Freeze until solid.
- Rita's Review: 10/10. Fun to crunch, and the hidden treat inside is the best prize!
🥜 2. Frozen Peanut Butter & Banana Bites
Bananas are packed with vitamins, and peanut butter is... well, it is the greatest food on Earth.
- Ingredients: 1 ripe banana, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (Check the label! It must be Xylitol-free or Birch Sugar free), and 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt.
- How to make: Mash the banana in a bowl. Mix in the peanut butter and yogurt until smooth. Spoon the mixture into an ice cube tray or silicone molds. Freeze for 2 hours.
- Rita's Review: 11/10. Super creamy. I will lick your floors clean if you drop even a tiny speck of this.
🍉 3. Melon Melon Frosty
Watermelon is 92% water, making this the ultimate treat for preventing hyperthermia after a backyard fetch session.
- Ingredients: 2 cups of seedless watermelon chunks (remove all black seeds and the green rind!) and 1/4 cup of plain yogurt.
- How to make: Toss the watermelon and yogurt into a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Pour into molds or an ice cube tray and freeze.
- Rita's Review: 10/10. Very refreshing and sweet. Makes my tongue look extra pink!⚠️
Rita’s Safety Reminder
Always introduce new foods to your pup slowly to make sure they do not get an upset tummy. Treat these like cookies—they are snacks, not a full dinner!



07/01/2026

🚨 Heatstroke: Dogs vs. Humans
Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency for both species. However, because dogs cannot sweat like humans, they show very different warning signs.🐶
In Dogs
Dogs cannot tell you they feel sick. You must watch their behavior closely:
- Excessive Panting: Constant, frantic panting that does not slow down when they rest.
- Extreme Drooling: Thick, ropey saliva dripping from the mouth.
- Bright Red Gums: Gums that look dark red, purple, or blue instead of healthy pink.
- Wobbliness: Stumbling, weakness, or collapsing when trying to walk.
- Lethargy: Refusing to get up or completely unresponsive to your voice.
🧑 In Humans
Humans have a built-in cooling system (sweating), but when heatstroke hits, that system shuts down:
- Altered Mental State: Confusion, slurred speech, agitation, or bizarre behavior.
- Hot, Dry Skin: Skin that feels burning hot to the touch. It may be completely dry, or heavily sweating (especially in younger people exercising).
- Nausea and Vomiting: Feeling violently sick to the stomach.
- Rapid Heartbeat: A pulse that feels like it is racing or pounding.
- Fainting: Losing consciousness or experiencing severe dizziness.🛠️ Immediate Action Steps
If you suspect heatstroke in either a dog or a human, call 911 or an emergency vet immediately.
While help is on the way:
1. Move them into shade or air conditioning.
2. Cool them down with cool (not freezing) water. Wet their skin or fur, and apply damp towels to the neck, armpits, or groin area.
3. Do not force water if they are unconscious or vomiting



07/01/2026

🐾 PAWS UP FOR A SAFE 4TH OF JULY! 🐾
Hi friends! Rita here, your friendly Fairfield County Therapy Dog. The big holiday is almost here! I love cookouts and extra belly rubs. However, those giant flashing lights and loud "BOOMS" in the sky terrify most of my furry cousins.
To keep your pets calm and safe, I compiled this quick checklist for my human friends:
🏠 Keep us inside
- Close all windows.
- Lock the doors.
- Play calm music.
- Turn on the TV.
🆔 Check our tags
- Update microchip info.
- Put collars on.
- Fasten ID tags.
- Snap a current photo.
🍔 Watch the food
- No table scraps.
- Skip the onions.
- Keep alcohol away.
- Guard the chocolate.
🎆 Skip the fireworks
- Leave pets home.
- Never bring us to shows.
- Matchsticks are toxic.
- Glowsticks are dangerous.
If your pet gets extra anxious, please talk to our friends at the vet clinic before the holiday arrives! Let's make this a happy, safe, and stress-free celebration for everyone.
Happy Fourth, everyone! Safe wiggles and tail wags! ❤️🤍💙

06/30/2026

🐾 Rita’s Heatwave Wisdom: Keep Your Paws (and Grandparents) Cool! 🐾
Hello, Fairfield County! Rita here, your favorite Fairfield County EMS Therapy Dog. While my human coworkers are great at driving the big loud trucks, I am the real expert on staying comfortable, taking naps, and managing body heat.
The temperature is rising, which means we need to talk about hyperthermia—that is a fancy-schmancy word for when your body gets dangerously overheated.
Since my fellow furry friends and our favorite elderly humans are the most sensitive to the heat, I have put together some ruff-and-ready tips to keep everyone safe this summer!
👵 Rita’s Tips for Our Golden Citizens (The Elderly)
Our vintage humans do not sweat as easily as the younger ones, and their internal thermostats can get a bit glitchy. Help them stay safe:
- Air Conditioning is King: Fans just push hot air around if it is stifling. Keep the A/C running or visit cool community centers.
- Hydration Celebrations: Pour them a big glass of water before they say they are thirsty.
- Check-In Duty: Pop in on your older neighbors twice a day to make sure they are staying cool.
🐕 Rita’s Tips for My Furry Friends (The Pets)
Listen up, pet parents! We wear permanent fur coats, we cannot sweat (except through our paws), and we rely on panting to cool down.
- The 7-Second Rule: Press the back of your human hand to the pavement. If you cannot hold it there for 7 seconds, it is too hot for our paw pads! Stick to early morning or late evening walks.
- Ice, Ice, Baby: Drop ice cubes into our water bowls. My personal favorite summer snack? Frozen peanut butter or low-sodium chicken broth cubes!
- Never Leave Us in the Car: Not even for a minute with the windows cracked. Cars turn into ovens scary fast.
🚨 Emergency Red Flags
If you see your grandma or your hound dog acting dizzy, panting excessively, vomiting, or looking confused, that is a major emergency. Get them to the shade, put cool, damp towels on them, and call 911 immediately!Stay cool, drink your water, and remember to leave a little extra love (and treats) out for me!
Love and tail wags,
🐾 Rita



🐾❤️ A Special Paws-and-Purr-fect Goodbye to One of My Favorite Humans, Olivia! ❤️🐾Rita here, the Fairfield County EMS Th...
05/26/2026

🐾❤️ A Special Paws-and-Purr-fect Goodbye to One of My Favorite Humans, Olivia! ❤️🐾
Rita here, the Fairfield County EMS Therapy Dog, and I have some bittersweet news to share. My favorite treat-giver and belly-rubber, EMT Olivia, is leaving us to go to medical school! 🩺🎒

I am going to miss her so much. Olivia always has the biggest smile for everyone she meets, but I secretly think her best smiles were reserved for me. She has been an absolute joy to be around, and the station won't be the same without her comforting presence (and her excellent petting skills).

Olivia, thank you for always making time for me between your busy shifts. I know you are going to make a wonderful doctor because you already have the best bedside manner ever! Just promise you will come back and visit me when you wear your fancy new white coat. 🐕‍🦺🩺
Let’s give Olivia a big round of a-claws and wish her luck on her next big adventure! We love you, Olivia! 🌟



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100 Tidewater Drive N
Winnsboro, SC
29180

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