chance (person)

Chance was also a famous firedog -- in fact, he is the first documented firedog. While he was surely not the first dog owned by a fire department, and probably not even the first dog to regularly help the firemen in saving people from fires, he was certainly the first to make the papers.

Traditionally, we think of firedogs as Dalmatians. Back in the early days of firefighting, when 'firetrucks' were actually horse-drawn carriages, Dalmatians were the ideal firedogs. They can keep pace with the horses, their barking cleared the way for the carriages, and they are good at keeping horses calm -- which isn't easy when there is a fire raging nearby. But Chance wasn't a Dalmatian -- he was 'of undetermined breed', which probably meant that he was a mongrel.

Chance worked in the London Fire Brigade, from at least 1828 until he died in 1835. During that time he was quite famous in London. Chance would follow the firemen to fires, helping them hunt for survivors in the rubble. Chance had several rescues to his name, and was well known to the public. He visited most of the firehouses of London, spending a few days at each firehouse, and became well-loved by all the firemen. The London firemen took up a collection to buy him a brass collar with the inscription "Stop me not, but onward let me jog, for I am Chance, the London Firemen's dog." Chance appeared in the papers, and had his portrait painted by several artists.

In his later life, Chance went mostly blind, although this did not stop him from chasing the fire engine. On his death, a number of papers printed his obituary. The firemen paid to have him stuffed by a taxidermist, planing to memorialize him in a tasteful display. The taxidermist decided that he could make more money by selling Chance to a showman, who then displayed him at fairgrounds for a penny a head. Fortunately, one of the firemen came across the exhibit, and came back with his entire squad. After they liberated Chance's remains, they mounted him in a case on the station wall with a plaque which read:

Chance, well known as the firemen's dog. Died October 10, 1835. This is humbly inscribed by the Committee of London Fire Establishment and their obedient servants.