Anything but Spotty

He has ridden to the rescue of hundreds of fire and accident victims in Westwood and Brentwood.

So when a firehouse dog named Bruin was hit and seriously injured by a car last month outside his station’s doors, hundreds of people came to his rescue.

Strangers have contributed $15,300 to pay for the crippled Dalmatian’s veterinary bills.

The outpouring has stunned firefighters at Station 37 on Veteran Avenue in Westwood, who adopted Bruin as their mascot 17 months ago and took him on emergency calls every day until the accident.

“It’s amazing,” said Firefighter Ron Spiers. “I knew there were a lot of animal lovers out there. But this has been an eye-opener.”

Added Alex Quintana, an engineer at the station: “We see a lot of bad in this job--people who have been assaulted by other people. But when something like this happens, you see that there are a lot of good people out there.”

The contributions more than cover the $2,000 in veterinary bills that Bruin has incurred since the Jan. 4 accident. On Thursday, his owners were asking that people stop donating.

Firefighters say their 1 1/2-year-old pet was struck by a car after being lured into traffic by howling coyotes that roam Los Angeles National Cemetery across the street from the firehouse.

An early-evening jogger who saw Bruin get knocked into the air ran to the station for help. Shaken firefighters comforted their injured pet, splinted one of his legs and then rushed him to an animal hospital.

Firefighters used their personal credit cards to pay for the initial emergency treatment, which included blood transfusions. After two days in the hospital and four days of recuperation at Quintana’s home in the Santa Clarita Valley, Bruin was hospitalized for another two weeks for surgery to repair torn muscles and ligaments.

Although the dog’s regular vet donated some of his services, the 39 firefighters who staff three shifts at Station 37 were at first nervous that they might have to shoulder as much as $4,000 in veterinary bills before Bruin recovered.

They shouldn’t have worried.

Donations started pouring in after writer Monte Morin heard about the accident and gave an account of Bruin’s plight in the Westside Weekly supplement to The Times. Brentwood publicists Barry and Samantha Greenberg read the article and alerted local TV stations.

Soon, the firehouse mailbox was bulging with contributions and notes of concern.

Children sent dollar bills. Adults mailed checks for $25 and $100. A pet food manufacturer kicked in $1,000 and free dog food for a year. An Orange County woman gave $2,000.

Fifth-graders at nearby Overland Avenue Elementary School raised $80 by selling 55 bouquets they made from flowers grown as a class project. FBI agents at the Federal Building in Westwood passed the hat and collected $500. A local animal trainer offered obedience lessons to teach Bruin to ignore coyotes.

At the firehouse, cards and letters that have come with the more than 350 donations now cover part of one wall.

Firefighters said they plan to mail each contributor a thank you note with a photograph of Bruin sleeping atop a firetruck. They’ve invited the Orange County woman to the firehouse for dinner.

Bruin, meantime, is itching to get back on the firetruck that he normally rides on emergency calls.

When the response bell sounds, he hobbles excitedly to the vehicle. But because of his banged-up front leg, he cannot jump aboard on his own.

Bruin may face more surgery to repair nerve damage to the leg. Otherwise, firefighters hope to have him back in action in another month, said Capt. Mike Rodriguez.

For now, the dog has to be content with routine trips out of the station when firefighters have time to leisurely hoist him onto the truck and hook his safety harness.

“Bruin went with us when we stopped in Westwood today for lunch,” said Capt. Ralph Terrazas. “We must have had at least 10 people come up and say hi to him.”

Firefighters said unspent donations have been placed in a special “Bruin Trust Fund” bank account that will take care of his needs for the rest of his life.

For the firehouse dog, this is one emergency response that is over.