Last Surviving 9/11 Rescue Dog Visits New York Memorial For The First Time In 13 Years

SteveHolt10 years ago

Yesterday was the thirteenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Chances are, you were too young to fully comprehend what was happening on that day in 2001. I know I was, but as a third grade nerd in Houston, I could tell it was incredibly serious. My parents picked me up from school and we went directly to church.

In all the devastation, the leadership and courage shown by the FDNY and NYPD emergency response teams were great sources of pride for Americans. This week, one of the responders, a 15-year-old golden retriever named Bretagne, returned to Ground Zero with her handler for the first time since the attacks. Bretagne, a Texan, is the only known search and rescue dog from September 11 who is still alive.

Here are some photos of Bretagne, who, by all intents and purposes, is a good dog.

And this:

Here she is with her trainer:

September 11 isn’t Bretagne’s only disaster response. The golden retriever has also worked search and rescue missions for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Ivan. She hung up her search and rescue collar at the age of nine, and now she visits elementary schools to hang out with first graders and students with disabilities.

Bretagne is one of the eight finalists for the American Humane Association’s annual Hero Dog Awards. To vote for Bretagne, click HERE.

If you didn’t just vote for Bretagne, leave this website and never return.

[via NBC Today]

Image via NBC /Denise Corliss