Last Surviving 9/11 Search And Rescue Dog Given Hero’s Farewell

Bretagne the Golden Retriever has been laid to rest after receiving a hero’s farewell. The dog, believed to be the last surviving 9/11 Ground Zero search dog, was put to sleep on June 6, 2016 due to old age.

The 16-year-old dog was honored by firefighters and rescue workers who lined the sidewalk and saluted her as she walked into the Farfield Animal Hospital in Houston, Texas in her final hour.

Upon exiting the hospital, her casket was draped in an American flag to be laid to rest.

Back in 2001, Bretagne and her owner/handler Denise Corliss were new graduates from disaster training when they were deployed to New York after the World Trade Center attacks. The pair worked 12 hours a day for two weeks straight, searching for survivors but found none.

However, Corliss said that Bretagne took on another, unexpected, role during the terrible time. Many rescue workers would find comfort in petting Bretagne and would share personal stories with her. “Dogs can be so comforting, so it makes sense to me now,” she said. “I just didn’t anticipate that, then.”

9/11 was not the only disaster that Bretagne and Corliss worked on. They would also help at Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and other storms and disasters throughout the United States.

After Bretagne’s retirement from search and rescue work at age 9 she continued with her public service. She helped to teach kids to read, visiting classrooms once a week where kids could practice and develop their reading skills by reading to her.

Bretagne would have turned 17 years old in August. The video below shows Bretagne walking into the vet’s office one last time and getting a hero’s salute.

Thank you for your service, Bretagne and Rest in Peace.

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