Remembering September 11: Homage to the "Hero Dogs of 9/11"

I suspect no one will ever forget the crisp autumn morning air, the magnificent, cloudless blue sky and the brilliant sunshine that greeted us on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. But suddenly and unexpectedly our world was changed forever when, at precisely 8:45 a.m. New York local time, the first of two hijacked planes deliberately flew into the north tower of the World Trade Center, launching the start of the worst terrorist attack in the history of our country. Within minutes, New York City’s streets were filled with the sound of fire engines and other first responders rushing to the rescue.

Today is the 11th anniversary of September 11, a “day that will live in infamy.” As such, it’s only fitting that we set aside the time to remember and honor those extraordinarily brave firefighters, the police men and women, the medics and the private citizens whose unfaltering courage gave them the strength to rush into the burning infernos to try to save as many lives as possible.

At the same time, it’s just as important that we also remember the heroic search and rescue (SAR) dogs who tirelessly combed through the formidable rubble day and night, risking their own injuries while looking unflaggingly and obediently alongside their handlers for any survivors without seeking any recognition for their labor.

These are the “Hero Dogs of 9/11”. They are the courageous canines who went into and thoroughly explored areas in the fallen World Trade Center that were impossible for human rescuers to reach. And while they were exhausted, with their huge hearts and their dedication to their arduous task, they never gave up. These special dogs are truly the unheralded heroes that offered strength, hope and comfort to so many people on that fateful day.

In honor of their incredible contribution and to give these remarkable dogs the recognition they so richly deserve, Kenn Bell created a video titled “Hero Dogs of 9/11” for his site, Dog Files. His inspirational and profoundly moving video is a magnificent homage to the more than 300 dogs who contributed to the World Trade Center rescue effort at Ground Zero.  

This stunning and captivating documentary was also made to learn what (if any) veterinary, tactical and medical advancement may have been achieved by observing the way in which these hero dogs performed and how they survived the incredibly hostile conditions in which they worked on the day the terrorists attacked New York City.

Without the help of the courageous search and rescue dogs assisting human rescue teams by going into action whenever they are called, not only in our country but also in the many disaster areas on foreign soil, many precious human lives would otherwise not be saved. These highly trained and skillful canines serve us on their mission of mercy without question or complaint. These “Hero Dogs” must always be remembered.

Having tissues on hand is definitely in order. Many viewers will be moved to tears while watching “Hero Dogs of 9/11: Legacy”. But these tears are not from sorrow. They will flow in deep gratitude for the contribution made by both the dogs and their handlers.  Taking nine minutes to view the heart-touching episode, uploaded to YouTube by TheDogFiles, certainly far outweighs the risk.

Watch the entire Dog Files video series here.

 What were your feelings while watching the video on this anniversary of September 11? Share them in a comment.