South Lake Tahoe therapy dog Mayzie is up for a national award
Rescue dog Mayzie has made more than 230 visits to first responders in Northern California and Nevada, comforting more than 3,000 people. Voting runs through Oct. 19.
Read the original
The reporting lives at Placerville NewsWire. Our summary is checked against it, and we link it on every story.
Mayzie, an eight-year-old rescue dog in a red therapy vest, has become a regular at Lake Tahoe emergency stations. Placerville NewsWire reported on October 10, 2026, that she has made more than 230 visits to first responders across Northern California and Nevada and has comforted more than 3,000 people, including crews coming off wildfire shifts.
That work earned her a nomination for the 2026 First Responder Paws Therapy Dog Award. Public voting runs through Monday, Oct. 19. Her handler, Adrienne Steurer, said Mayzie does not ask how someone is feeling. She shows up and offers comfort. Her rounds include the South Lake Tahoe Police Department and Tahoe Douglas firefighters.
More good news
Other stories in the same neighborhood of kindness.
AnimalsEighteen black-footed ferrets were released into northern Arizona
Arizona Game and Fish set 18 captive-bred ferrets loose near Seligman and six more at Garland Prairie. The same day, Phoenix Zoo announced a record 34 kits.
Verified · Arizona's Family (AZFamily)
AnimalsA rehabilitated juvenile bald eagle flew free near Mansfield
The Ohio Bird Sanctuary released a young eagle at Clear Fork Conservation Area after a spinal fracture from a car strike. The sanctuary handles about 200 releases a year.
Verified · KnoxPages
AnimalsA Wisconsin veteran meets service dog Gilby after a two-year fundraiser
The La Crosse County American Legion and local groups paid to train Gilby for veteran Nicole Rogich. The dog is named for Air Force veteran James Gilbertson.
Verified · WKBT News 8000