Mississippi Fire Department Surprised With Furry New Recruit

Firefighters in Wiggins, Mississippi, had a furry surprise this week when they were presented with their fire station’s newest recruit: A 15-week-old Dalmatian named Ruby.

The young pup was born in North Carolina, and arrived thanks to a secret mission carried out by Stephanie Purvis, wife of Fire Chief Steven Purvis, who had been dreaming of adding a canine companion to their firehouse family.

"I found Ruby without my husband knowing. It was a total surprise," Stephanie told a local television station. "He's just been saying how much he wants a Dalmatian for the station and how he really could see this being a really good thing for the community, and I found one and told him that we were going to a conference and surprised him when we got there with her, so it was an ultimate really good experience."

Ruby's training won't begin until she's 20 weeks old, at which point she will begin attending obedience school. After that, she'll work toward therapy dog certification after her first birthday. Good luck, Ruby!