EAST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A dog went from being rescued by East Haven firefighters last week to being adopted by the department.

“It was about 122 degrees, and the owners of the little guy here surrendered him,” East Haven Fire Chief Matthew Marcarelli said. “We did meet him, and we thought he’d be a good addition to our crew.”

The puppy, who has been named Riggs, is the town’s new support dog.

“There was nobody around, and he was left in the car alone,” said Bobbie Ashton, with the East Haven Fire Department. “So, we opened the car with some lockout tools, and animal control went in and got him.”

Mayor Joe Carfora asked residents to vote to name him. Within days, there were 7,000 votes, with Riggs as the winner.

Riggs’ new job is to help with community engagement. He will also provide support for the crews.

When it comes to hot animals in cars, Ashton said to treat them the same as a child. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pet.