Bretagne still loves solving search problems at a disaster training site for dogs. This photo was taken in July 2014.
Photo Courtesy of Denise Corliss, ,via today.com
On this anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, the folks at Today pay tribute to the last known search dog who worked the ruins of the World Trade Center at Ground Zero. A Golden Retriever named Bretagne (pronounced Brittany), was just two years old in 2001 when she and her handler, Denise Corliss of Cyrpess, Texas, traveled to look for survivors in the rubble. They returned to New York for the first time this week, and the experience was very emotional:
“Seeing this kind of took my breath away a bit, similar to how the pile was the first time I saw it,” Corliss, 49, told TODAY.com. “It’s so calm and peaceful now, unlike the chaos of before.
“After 9/11, everybody — all of us — felt such sadness. We all wanted to help. I just felt so honored that we were able to respond.”
Now 15 years old, Bretagne had retired from search work, but she volunteers at a local elementary school, where she helps special-needs children and first-graders learn how to read aloud. What an incredible life for this hero dog!
Thank you Bretagne for your heroism! If only we can do more to protect our fur friends, their loyalty, dedication and want to help humans is not something to take for granted. I am glad to see she went on to enjoy a wonderful life!
You are an amazing and beautiful dog , Bretagne!