Service dogs-in-training spent a day inside an active fire station on State Road 54, hearing alert tones, climbing into an ambulance and meeting firefighters in full turnout gear.

Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 23's A-Shift hosted the animals Friday as part of a socialization visit organized by Dogs Inc., an internationally accredited guide and service dog school based in Palmetto. The agency confirmed the event on its official Facebook page, calling it "Service Dog Day at Station 23."

The dogs, at various stages of their training, were introduced to the kinds of unpredictable stimuli a working service animal might encounter: the blare of station alert tones, the confined space of an ambulance and stretcher and the sight of firefighters geared up in heavy protective equipment. That kind of exposure is critical to developing reliable service dogs, according to both Pasco Fire Rescue and the Pasco County Professional Firefighters union, which posted photos and details of the visit on Instagram Friday.

Dogs Inc. trains and places service dogs at no cost with veterans living with PTSD, people with Type 1 diabetes and Gold Star family members. The Palmetto-based nonprofit also provides recipients with ongoing training support, dog food and preventative veterinary care for the life of the dog, funded entirely through donations.

@pasco_firefighters_4420: "Thank you to Dog Inc. for the incredible work you do and for allowing Station 23 A Shift to be part of these future service dogs' training journey. We look forward to seeing you again!"

The firefighters' union post noted the dogs received "plenty of well-earned cuddles" before heading home.

Station 23 sits at 21300 State Road 54 along the Wesley Chapel corridor. No follow-up visit has been announced, but groups or organizations interested in arranging their own visit to a Pasco County Fire Rescue station can submit a request online at mypas.co/PCFR_Request or call 813-929-2750.