I wasn’t even born that fateful day of 9.1.1. — but I’ve heard about it.
During the chaos of the 9/11 attacks, nearly 100 loyal search and rescue dogs and their brave owners scoured Ground Zero for survivors. Now, a decade later, just 15 of these heroic canines survive. They have been commemorated in a touching series of portraits titled “Retrieved.”
Please join me in paying tribute to the strength, courage and character of some of the best of the best:
Moxie, 13, from Winthrop, Massachusetts, arrived with her handler Mark Aliberti at the World Trade Center on the evening of September 11 and searched the site for eight days.
Tara, 16, from Ipswich, Massachusetts, arrived at the World Trade Center on the night of the 11th. Tara and her handler Lee Prentiss were there for eight days.
Kaiser, 12, pictured at home in Indianapolis, Indiana, was deployed to the World Trade Center on September 11 and searched tirelessly for people in the rubble.
Bretagne and his owner Denise Corliss from Cypress, Texas, arrived at the site in New York on September 17 and remained there for ten days.
Guiness, 15, from Highland, California, started work at the site with Sheila McKee on the morning of September 13 and was deployed at the site for 11 days.
Merlyn and his handler Matt Claussen were deployed to Ground Zero on September 24, working the night shift for five days.
Red, 11, from Annapolis, Maryland, went with Heather Roche to the Pentagon from September 16 until the 27th as part of the Bay Area Recovery Canines.
Abigail, lying down in the photograph, was deployed on the evening of September 17, searching for 10 days, while Tuff, pictured standing, arrived in New York at 11:00 p.m. on the day of attack to start working early the next day.
Hoke and handler Julie Noyes were deployed to the World Trade Center from their home in Denver on September 24 and searched for five days.
Scout and another unknown dog lie among the rubble at Ground Zero, just two of nearly 100 search and rescue animals who helped search for survivors.
The book, “Retrieved,” is shown on the Amazon site with the notation: Sign up to be notified when this item becomes available. It appears to be coming out soon, and I didn’t want to wait to tell you about this fabulous collection. Check it out here: http://amzn.to/rb90Du
Simply Awesome!
Thank you!
Woofs!
Charlie Bear
Charlie, are you holding that flag up against the sofa or how did she do that? You look cute and patriotic by the flag!
I bet that if she’d rewarded you for raising your paw higher and higher each attempt then you would eventually have been saluting the flag! But that’s a lot of work!
Susan
Susan,
Thanks for telling me I’m cute (blush, blush!). Mom Peep wanted me to salue, and you are right, she could have enticed me with treats to raise my paw, but she didn’t know how to do that AND hold the camera and take the shots too! She’s just not good at multi-tasking like I am!
Woofs and wiggles to you,
Charlie Bear
Beautiful tribute, Charlie Bear. Thank you! Saluting right along with you.
Julie,
Mom tried to get me to raise my paw and salute the flag, but I just couldn’t figure out how to do it. Would have been a cute picture though!
Woofs and wiggles to you and give Clyde extra smooches tomorrow and Wednesday morning,
Charlie Bear
And don’t forget Roselle, who led her blind owner, Michael Hingson, down 1,643 stairs – 78 flights to safety just before the first tower fell. Their calmness helped maintain a positive attitude with those around them. I realize this great collection honors rescue dogs, and Roselle has her own book out. All inspiring. Will look for “Retrieved.”
I read in the Life book: “ONE NATION: America Remembers September 11, 2001” that rescue dogs respond to affirmations of their work and in those long harrowing, and often disappointing moments of “recovering” rather than “rescuing” some dog handlers asked volunteers to lie down amidst the rubble to give the dogs the exhilaration of a live rescue. Very poignant.
Lois,
Of course, Roselle, Michael Hingson’s Guide Dog. I know the woman who co-wrote that book with Michael and he had a story recently in Guideposts magazine I believe. Very inspiring.
I read about the handlers asking for “live” volunteers to be found by the dogs so they’d remain exhilarated. So much sadness, so much grief. I’m sure the dogs felt it as much as the people they worked with. Thank you for remembering.
Hugs to you,
B.J. & Charlie Bear