Missing Chicago Fire Department dog 'Burny' safely returns to Englewood firehouse
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The women and men of Chicago Fire Department Engine 84 are grateful for the return of Burny, the 58-pound mascot of the busy Englewood firehouse.
The firehouse dog went missing Friday at around 6 p.m. from the only home he has known in his seven years. His CFD family immediately took to social media for help getting him back.
"We got a tip from someone that Burny was spotted in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood and we moved our efforts in that direction," said Vicky Hernandez, paramedic field chief. "Thanks to the people in that neighborhood pointing us in the right direction, we were able to find him."
Nonetheless, the dog was on the run for roughly 24 hours.
The department posted on Twitter, asking for people to not call out to the dog for fear he would panic.
But eventually, Hernandez got lucky.
"I saw Burny running down the street," she said. "I tried to get out of my vehicle but he took off running again. Then we all went in another direction trying to find Burny. The people of the neighborhood were pointing us in the right direction and then I cut them off at one point and I opened my vehicle and he jumped in."
Burny is back home now, offering comfort and stress relief for first responders who put their lives on the line daily.
"Burny is a big deal here," Hernandez said. "Every time he comes to this firehouse, it's all about Burny here."
