First responders endure high levels of stress. These dogs can lighten the load

But for the past five years, many emergency responders have found some much-needed – and very cuddly – relief by visiting with a therapy dog. It’s the work of Heidi Carman and her nonprofit, First Responder Therapy Dogs. Since 2021, the group has certified more than 480 therapy dog teams across the United States and visited more than 150,000 first responders. Check out the First Responder Therapy Dogs website and see how to help. To donate to First Responder Therapy Dogs via Pledge, click hereThe-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros.