Heather observed that Marea enjoyed helping her with her clean-up drive at the beach. She felt as though the Golden Retriever shared her passion for conserving marine life. With that, she decided to bring her along to the Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program and checked if she can work as a first responder. Marea is a natural! The aquarium named her as the first-ever dog who holds such a position.
Heather and Marea are on call every time the aquarium receives a report of an animal that might need help. The two respond to emergency calls and checks the situation. Heather noticed that most reports involve seals needing assistance. It led her to call their volunteer work as “seal sitting” – where they educate beachgoers to leave wandering seals alone. They also encourage them to pick up litter.
Heather considers Marea as an extension of herself. For her, she is more than just her service dog. The Golden Retriever’s shared her compassion in helping seals and other marine animals. Together, they teach the public the importance of keeping the beach clean, and how a single piece of trash can endanger marine life.
Source: Service Dog Marea via Facebook