Simplified: The people who work at Metro Communications spend their days responding to the most challenging moments in our city – the car accidents, the medical emergencies, the tragedies. It's a tough job. But for the last couple years, one thing has helped make that job a little bit more palatable: a 4-year-old poodle named Nena.

Tell me more

Nena lives at the Metro Communications office in the Public Safety Training Center in northeast Sioux Falls, and since the office is open 24/7, she's always got caretakers to make sure she gets what she needs.

Her name is based on the acronym NENA, which stands for National Emergency Number Association, and while she's not officially a therapy dog, she's had a therapeutic effect on the employees at Metro, including creating a stronger sense of community, Operations Supervisor LeNora Giles said.

"We deal with a lot of technology and a lot of tragedy," Giles said. "She just lets you reconnect back with happiness, which is so fun. I knew she'd reduce stress, but (the way she) brings people together is kind of a neat surprise."

How Nena found her forever home

Metro employees for years had discussed getting a pet, Giles said, but it wasn't until the organization moved under city leadership in early 2024 that the option to get a dog became a reality.

  • In anticipation of that move, a Metro committee started working with the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society and very quickly identified Nena as an ideal dog both because of her temperament and because as a poodle, she's a hypoallergenic breed.
"We were all unanimous in wanting to rescue," Giles said. "That's kinda what we do in our job is save people, so we wanted to save a dog, too."

The life of an office dog

Nena has a dedicated team of Metro employees who make sure she gets to the vet and has what she needs, but her day-to-day care is largely shared by the team.

Giles said she’s had folks ask if Nena gets enough exercise, and there’s no question about that. She’s often taken on walks by Metro employees, and has even made friends with a lot of the police and fire rescue employees who also work in the same building. 

  • The challenge for Nena isn’t exercise, it’s rest. She’s such a social dog, Giles said, that at first they feared she wasn’t getting enough sleep because she was so excited to constantly be around people. 

That’s why Assistant Fire Chief Mike Gramlick built Nena her own little house with a dark, quiet space she can go when she needs to sleep. 

Because Nena is a rescue, not much is known about her life before coming to Metro, Giles said. But because she was likely born in the fall, the office decided to give her a birthday of Sept. 11 in recognition and remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

What’s next for Nena? 

She’s, frankly, living the dream. She’s well-trained and well-loved, and walking around the Metro office it’s easy to see she’s a popular employee. Some desks have dog beds underneath where she can hang out, and there are plenty of dog toys and treats around. 

She’s also helping new recruits adjust to life as a Metro employee, and, much like the folks who work at Metro, Nena spends her days helping change people’s lives for the better. 

“She’s done the same thing for us,” Giles said. “She’s had an impact on our group as far as making us have a better, healthier environment. She helps us remember to slow down.”