Remembering the Bravery of the 9/11 Search and Rescue Dogs

It’s been 14 years since the hijacked planes flew into the Twin Towers. On this day, as we remember all those lost in the tragedy and all the brave first-responders and the heroes who helped save lives that fateful day, let’s not forget about the invaluable services provided by the 9/11 Search and Rescue Dogs.

You may not realize just how big of a role dogs played in the rescue and recovery. An estimated 300-350 dogs assisted in scouring the rubble for signs of life. Hundreds of hardworking dogs from around the country came to New York City (and to the Pentagon) to help in the search and rescue efforts after the terrorist attacks. “At Ground Zero, the dogs worked every day to help in search and rescue with their volunteer handlers for an average of 10 days. They had day shifts and night shifts lasting anywhere from 12 to 16 hours searching for survivors and human remains while comforting victims and rescue workers.” (Source: DogTime)

At this point in time, there is only one known 9/11 Rescue Dog still alive…making us realize how woefully short dogs’ lives are.  The lone survivor, Bretagne, a Golden Retriever, was honored with a special Dog’s Best Day, a stylish celebration in New York City on her 16^th birthday earlier this week. This video shows some of the uber-cool surprises that were bestowed upon Bretagne:

Four years ago, photographer Charlotte Dumas put together a photo series called “Retrieved”, featuring portraits of some of the retired 9/11 dogs. With the help of FEMA, Dumas was able to locate and capture stunning portraits of 15 of these heroes. To see these beautiful portraits, click here.

On this day, please remember and honor all of the brave canine heroes who served in the 9/11 aftermath.

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