4-legged Skipper comforts Rhode Island boaters who need help

(WPRI) — When broken-down boaters are picked up by Captain Pete Andrews, they are greeted by two friendly faces.

Andrews is a captain and the owner of SafeSea Marine Rescue in North Kingstown. When he goes to work, his dog Skipper, or "Skip," comes too.

"He is a rescue that we got from Louisiana," Andrews said. "He spends pretty much every day of his life at work with me in the winter here at the workshop or in our offices, and in the summer, frequently, out on our towboats."

People looking out at Wickford Harbor may be able to catch a glimpse of Skip patrolling the bow.

"Some people get a little worried he is going to fall in, but ... he went over once when he was a pup and that was the last time he's actually fallen in the water," Andrews explained. "He does pretty well. He's pretty sure-footed."

The tow boats are busy throughout the summer, which means Skip stays busy too.

"It tends to calm our clients down when you get on scene, and you see the dog up on the bow or come out of the pilot house when you pull up. People tend to just relax," Andrews said.

Skip serves as a comforting and welcome distraction for boaters when a day out on the water takes a turn for the worse.

"He's always so friendly and wagging his tail," Andrews said. "It kind of takes their minds off the problems they're encountering at the moment."

Andrews hopes Skip can also serve as a reminder that no matter how comfortable your dog is in the water, they should always be wearing a life jacket.