Gulfport therapy dog will hit the national championship spotlight

The national championship game is coming up on Monday, but on Friday, football is going to the dogs.

American Medical Response’s parent company, Global Medical Response, is presenting Puppies at the Playoff event on Friday in Indianapolis.

The event will feature teams of adoptable Labrador puppies playing for all the kibble.

And Gulfport AMR’s therapy dog Tucker, along with his handler, Charles Wise, will serve as the “rufferee” for the scrimmage to demonstrate the importance of their day-to-day work with first responders.

“We are incredibly excited to represent AMR Gulfport and the GMR Therapy Dog Team at both the Puppies at the Playoffs and College Football Playoffs Championship events,” Wise said. “Tucker and I look forward to showing fans how our work makes a difference in the lives of first responders, and hopefully we can help some puppies find their forever homes at the same time.”

Since Tucker’s certification, he and Wise have been to several large-scale events to provide comfort and support to first responders.

Particularly during the last two years, EMTs, paramedics, nurses, pilots, and firefighters have gone above and beyond, responding to areas hard-hit by COVID-19, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires. The program has certified therapy dogs who provide effective pet-provided therapy services in their community and across the country.