Every time Neely walks into the room, the mood instantly changes. Smiles brighten, conversations pause, and paramedics stop to give her attention — often a belly rub or a cheerful greeting.
“She’s like Christmas morning,” said Lyndsay Fearnley-Ungar, wellness co-ordinator for Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services. “The medics look forward to seeing her.”
Neely, a jet-black Labrador and golden retriever mix, has been with the paramedic team for more than three years. Trained by National Service Dogs in Cambridge, she was placed as a facility dog — a support role that serves everyone, unlike a traditional service dog assigned to one person.
Fearnley-Ungar, who also works as a community paramedic, became Neely’s primary handler after joining a pilot project in 2023 that introduced the wellness co-ordinator position. Her role focuses on promoting mental health and resilience among paramedics and firefighters. Neely is an essential part of that mission.
During emotional debriefings and post-trauma conversations, Neely provides quiet, comforting support. Her calm presence helps first responders begin to process difficult experiences.
“Petting her lets people pause and breathe,” Fearnley-Ungar said. “She’s like a weighted blanket — grounding and soothing.”
Some moments are especially powerful. Fearnley-Ungar recalled times when she left a paramedic alone with Neely, only to return and find them crying. “They shared something with Neely that they weren’t ready to tell anyone else,” she said. “She melts the facade. You can’t help but be yourself around her.”
This emotional support is deeply needed. A 2016 national study found that 44.5 per cent of first responders showed symptoms of at least one mental health disorder — a rate much higher than the general population’s 10 per cent.
Deputy Chief Paul Kadwell referenced that data in a recent report to city council, urging officials to consider making the wellness co-ordinator role permanent. Since the position was introduced, there has been a drop in psychological injuries that lead to lost time — from 67 per cent in 2022 to 41 per cent in 2023 and 33 per cent so far this year.
Kadwell has been asked to prepare a full business case for the 2026-27 municipal budget.
If the role isn’t made permanent, Fearnley-Ungar will return to her duties as a community paramedic. She and Neely will stay with the service, but their time supporting staff would be reduced.
At home, Neely shows a more playful side. She lives with Fearnley-Ungar most of the time and sometimes stays with a secondary handler. Her favorite hobbies? Digging holes and stealing tomatoes from the garden.
“She knows when she’s working and when she’s not,” Fearnley-Ungar said. “At home, she’s a silly, silly dog. But on the job, she knows exactly what to do.”
Neely may not speak, but she’s helping first responders say what they need — and find the care they deserve.