In September 2020, EMS crews from across the country deployed to Florid to help with disaster relief after twin hurricanes. Among them was Jameson, a supervisor from Akron and Youngstown. Like many EMS professionals, he expected long days, sleepless nights, and the challenge of caring for communities devastated by the storms. What he didn’t expect was meeting a dog who would change his life.

The teams were stationed at a site that also housed a displaced animal shelter. One morning, with no assignments scheduled, volunteers invited responders to walk the shelter dogs while staff cleaned kennels. That’s when Jameson met Trace.

Trace was hard to miss! A big, affectionate pup who pressed his head against anyone willing to give...