Brewers surprise Milwaukee first responder with service dog ahead of throwing first pitch

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – A Milwaukee first responder with over 30 years of service to the community was honored with the first pitch at the Milwaukee Brewers game on Monday, Sept. 1. However, a game of catch turned into a surprise game of fetch as a golden retriever was brought onto the field.

The Milwaukee Brewers, partnered with Vortex, presented James Small with Hawk, a service dog from Custom Canines, a service dog training academy in Madison.

“A lot of surprises today,” Small said after the on-field presentation. “Certainly not something that I expected to have today.”

“It’s just been a lot of surprise planning on the back end, a lot of emails,” said Mickella Nofsinger, with Vortex. "It’s been hard to keep a secret. We’ve been sneaking off, going to Custom Canines, getting video footage, just really trying to make this a special day for James.”

Small has over 30 years of service as a law enforcement officer, EMS paramedic and firefighter. He advocates for emergency responder mental health wellness and peer support. He was honored with a national award for improving Wisconsin’s rural emergency medical services.

“I was diagnosed with PTSD nine years ago and have been treated for that since then. I know a lot of other people [with PTSD] and I’ve been able to help advocate for them to their peer support programs. I’m looking forward to doing more of that,” Small said.

“He applied for a service dog through our organization, we have a very, very long waiting list. But when Vortex and the Brewers stepped up, he was the first choice for us,” said President of Custom Canines Nicole Meadowcroft. “This was super exciting, I’m so thrilled that we pulled it off.”

“I know having a dog like that is going to be helpful,” Small said.

You can learn more about Custom Canines on their website.