"A Tribute to SAR Dogs"

Today we mark the eight year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America. Time goes by, but memories stay forever. We lost family, friends, co-workers, and thousands of people that we never met. Every person who lost their life that day was somebody's loved one, and the wave of America's grief and loss was felt all over the world.

To this day, the events of September 11, 2001, still bring intense hurt and sadness to many people. But the message of September 11th is not only of hurt, sadness, and loss. September 11th also speaks of courage, determination and perseverance. The 9/11 tragedy resulted in the largest search and rescue (SAR) K9 deployment/response in the history of the United States . People all around the world were touched by the images of hundreds of SAR dogs and their handlers painstakingly combing the ruins searching for survivors, and later, the remains of the lost.

While viewing this Tribute to SAR Dogs, remember that although it seemed like the world stopped on September 11, 2001...it did not. As the eyes of the world watched hundreds of SAR dogs and their handlers searching the rubble at the WTC and the Pentagon, all over our country hikers were still getting lost, elderly people suffering from Alzheimer's disease were still wandering off, homicide victims still needed to be found, people were still drowning in lakes, and children were still missing. Hundreds of SAR dogs were searching there too, searching their communities to bring the lost or the missing home to their families and loved ones.

Whether they were at the WTC or searching our own neighborhoods, these hard working dogs provide joy and also closure to thousands of families and will go on, for as long as they can, searching to find loved ones lost or missing in our communities. All of our nation's SAR Dogs are heroes..and someday one could be YOUR HERO!!

 

Click HERE for more information about Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs

 

(San Jose Mercury News - September 11, 2003)

 

 

.....

Dakota and Tahoe