Fire dog controversy no longer on City Commission agenda

The City Commission apparently decided that it would be barking up the wrong tree and will not inject itself in the dog controversy with the city's fire department.

The commission has changed its mind in regards to creating a policy pertaining to dogs at fire stations.

Discussions had been tentatively set for the upcoming July 7 regular meeting of the commission, but an item is not on the finalized agenda issued for the session.

"It's being left up to management," Commissioner Charlie Atkinson said Friday.

The Brownsville Herald was not able to contact commissioners Melissa Zamora and Edward C. Camarillo for comment. They had considered placing an item on the agenda.

"I think it will all be straightened out," Atkinson said.

Central to the issue is a dog named Chief.

Brownsville Firefighters Association union President Marco Longoria adopted the mutt. Longoria took the dog home after Fire Chief Lenny Perez took it to the animal shelter from Fire Station #6 on June 23 citing concerns about health, safety and liability issues.

Longoria said that the dog was not named Chief to poke fun at Perez, but because, according to Longoria, more than 50 percent of dogs at fire stations are named Chief.

Initially, the dog was named Chief, "because we thought it was a boy, but then we found out it was a girl," Longoria said.

Firefighters who rescued Chief were going to change the name, but Longoria said that the veterinarian at the animal shelter, who is a woman, asked what was wrong with a woman being Chief and the name stayed.