When James MacMurray left his position as herdsmen of a large New Jersey stock farm in 1893 to become a member of the New York Fire Department, he brought along his constant companion, Robert Bruce, a well-trained black and tan “sheep dog.” The two-year-old collie was trained to herd sheep, so he had a lot to learn about herding fire horses in city traffic. His training paid off in a big way…
Posts Tagged ‘fire dog’
1893: Robert Bruce MacMurray, the Horse-Saving Fire Dog of the FDNY
Posted: 12th October 2020 by The Hatching Cat in Dog Heroes, FDNY Horses/Mascots, Horse TalesTags: FDNY history, fire dog, fire horses, James MacMurray, Robert Bruce MacMurray
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1888: Requiem for Ginger, the Fire Dog of Greenwich Village
Posted: 26th May 2013 by The Hatching Cat in Dog Tails, FDNY Horses/MascotsTags: 96 Charles Street, Columbian No. 14, fire dog, Hook and Ladder Company No. 5, Metropolitan Fire Department, New York History, Old New York
Although their names were omitted from the payrolls, the fire dogs of the Metropolitan Fire Department played some very important roles in nineteenth-century New York City.
