A beloved fire safety dog from Clarksville, Arkansas, has sadly passed away.
Fire Safety Dog on Duty
Molly, a Dalmatian who was known for her safety demonstration programs witnessed by thousands of kids and adults, died on Tuesday, Dec. 27. She was diagnosed with Copper Storage Disease in 2018, which caused cirrhosis of her liver, and essentially made Molly housebound.
“I really miss her,” Dayna Hilton, Molly’s dog mom, told 5 News.
Hilton is a retired firefighter and the executive director of the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation. Molly had been her right-hand canine for 10 years. Prior to her, a pup named Sparkles worked alongside Hilton.
“Molly’s work started when she was actually nine weeks old, our very first fire safety presentation was in a barn if you can believe that,” Hilton said. “Little did we know at the time that the work she would continue to do would take a global reach and make such an impact with children and their families all across the world.”
Hilton and Molly taught fire safety lessons to children across six continents and in over 30 countries via Skype. The spotted dog almost taught in every state in the U.S. – except Idaho, where she was scheduled to give a class two weeks after her death.
Hilton has planned to have Molly’s little brother, 7-year-old Bowden, do the 50th virtual fire safety program to “carry on that tradition of the fire safety dogs and helping keep all those kids safe,” she said.
A Lively Legacy
Molly’s influence extended far beyond Skype. She once threw out the first pitch at Arvest Ballpark, was nominated for a national award by the American Humane Association, and appeared in an IMAX movie titled “Superpower Dogs.”
“She is in the hearts and minds of children everywhere,” said Hilton.
If you’d like to contribute funds in memory of Molly, you can do so on her Facebook page or through the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation.
