I'd like to dedicate this post to the hero dogs of 9/11. The media tend to focus on the fire fighters and other work men who risked there lives looking for survivors. But the dogs who are heroes in my eyes tend to get overlooked, without the dogs special training and acute sense of smell it would make every ones job a lot harder.
During the chaos of the 9/11 attacks, where almost 3,000 people died, nearly 300 loyal search and rescue dogs and their brave owners scoured Ground Zero for survivors.
Now, eleven years on, Not many of these heroic canines survive, and they have been commemorated in a touching series of portraits entitled 'Retrieved'.
The dogs worked tirelessly to search for anyone trapped alive in the rubble, along with countless emergency service workers and members of the public.
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. The dog 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
Travelling across nine states in the U.S. from Texas to Maryland, Dutch photographer Charlotte Dumas, 34, captured the remaining dogs in their twilight years in their homes where they still live with their handlers, a full decade on from 9/11.
Their stories have now been compiled in a book, called Retrieved, which is published on Friday, the tenth anniversary of the attacks.
Noted for her touching portraits of animals, especially dogs, Charlotte wanted 'Retrieved' to mark not only the anniversary of the September 2001 attacks, but also as recognition for some of the first responders and their dogs.
'I felt this was a turning point, especially for the dogs, who although are not forgotten, are not as prominent as the human stories involved,' explained Charlotte, who splits her time between New York and Amsterdam.
'They speak to us as a different species and animals are greatly important for our sense of empathy and to put things into perspective.'
Bretagne and his owner Denise Corliss from Cypress, Texas, arrived at the site in New York on September 17, remaining there for ten days
Bretagne takes a break from work at the 9/11 site with his handler Denise
Guinness, 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
Most of the search and rescue dogs are Labradors or Golden Retrievers and Charlotte feels that the title works across many aspects of the story.
'I found the dogs, I retrieved them, they were there to retrieve the victims, it is nicely rounded,' explained Charlotte whose work is being exhibited at the Julie Saul Gallery NYC opening on September 8, in time for the anniversary.
After working on a project about police canines and other working dogs, she was inspired to concentrate on the animals that played such a huge part in seeking survivors.
Contacting the NYPD, the New York Fire Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Charlotte discovered that out of the nearly 300 dogs among the first responders deployed by FEMA, there were in fact only 15 still alive in2010.
Red, 11, from Annapolis, Maryland, went with Heather Roche to the Pentagon from September 16 until the 27 as part of the Bay Area Recovery Canines
Abigail, left, was deployed on the evening of September 17, searching for 10 days while Tuff arrived in New York at 11:00 pm on the day of attack to start working early the next day
Scout and another unknown dog lie among the rubble at Ground Zero, just two of nearly 100 search and rescue animals who helped to search for survivors
'They were there for the first few weeks, they were trained to find people alive, although that is ultimately not what happened,' said Charlotte, who will hold a fundraiser for the First Responder Alliance at Clic Bookstore in New York on September 29.
'I traveled across the United States to meet with the owners and portray the dogs. They are all retired and I spent time with each of their handlers learning about their experiences.
'It was moving talking to Denise Corliss, who is the handler and owner of Bretagne, one of the Golden Retrievers.
'She told me a touching story of one fireman who was there in the rubble, and how taken he was with Bretagne who comforted him as he sat down to catch his breath.
Handler Julie Noyes and Hoke were deployed to the World Trade Center from their home in Denver on September 24 and searched for five days
Searching for survivors: The dogs worked around the clock in the vain hope of finding anyone still alive at the World Trade Center site
'Years later at a Remembrance Ceremony, the same fireman recognised Bretagne and her handler and they had a touching reunion.
'It developed that even though the dogs couldn't find people still alive, they could provide comfort for the brave firemen and rescue workers of the emergency services.'
Wishing to tell the other side of heroism from 9/11, each of Charlotte's encounters with dogs such as Gabriel and Orion and Scout stayed with her.
'The dogs are now old and they will soon pass away. Even during the time it has taken since my first work on the 'Retrieved' portraits to now, three of the final 15 have died,' said Charlotte.
'These portraits are about how time passes, and how these dogs and their portraits are offering us a way to deal with the things that happened as well as relying on them for comfort
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2033628/Surviving-9-11-rescue-dogs-scoured-Ground-Zero-bodies-commemorated-decade-difficult-mission.html#ixzz25uroNHwp
Yahoo News page dogs of 9/11 remembered (Slideshow)
I've just started reading a book called Thunder dog about a Labrador guide dog and blind owner Michael Hingson who's dog helped get him down from the 78th floor and over 1,400 stairs of the North Tower to safety.
In memory of Sirius a bomb detection dog believed to be the only dog to lose there life
“Sirius” was a yellow, 4 1/2 year old Labrador retriever. He specialized in explosive detection. Dave Lim started training him in March of 2000 & was assigned to the World Trade Center in July 2000. They were responsible for searching all vehicles that entered the WTC as well as unattended packages & vehicles. They also worked with many VIP's including ex-President Clinton & Gov. Jesse Ventura. Sirius as all other K-9's in their unit lived at home with Dave Lim’s family as a pet on off hours & days off.
On Sept. 11th, 2001, Sirius & Dave were in the B-1 level of #2 WTC at their office when they felt the first airplane hit the building. At first, Dave told Sirius, "I think they got one by us fella. You stay here & I'll be right back." He later said, “I never should have doubted my dog.”
After Dave assisted in rescue & evacuation operations, he was trapped on the 4th floor of #1 World Trade Center till 3:00 PM. After he got out, he attempted to return to the sub-grade & rescue Sirius. Firemen who informed him that the area that Sirius was in was inaccessible turned him back. The Port Authority lost 37 Police Officers & Sirius that day. Doctors would not allow Lim to search at Ground Zero because of the emotional toll it could have taken on him. But he kept tabs on the rescue effort, checking in periodically to ask whether they had made it to the kennel area.
“I grieve for those I knew. I grieve for those I never knew. But I grieve the most for the best partner a cop ever had. Sirius is still waiting for me," said Lim.
In the first few months, rescuers had to build a road over it to get to another area. When they found his jacket, Lim knew they were getting close. And, on January the 25th, workers at Ground Zero recovered the remains of Sirius believed to be the only canine to die in the attack on the World Trade Center.
“I've been waiting to find him," Lim said. “I fulfilled my promise to him because I came back and I took him home.”
The remains of the bomb-detection dog were found beneath the debris of Tower Two, in the Port Authority's basement kennel. Workers immediately called Lim to the scene when they found Sirius. They carried out the remains with full honors, complete with a prayer and a salute.
"There was a flag over his bag and I carried him out with another officer, John Martin,” Lim said. "Everyone saluted. All the machinery was stopped -- the same thing that is done for human police officers and firefighters. I thought it was very nice." The Port Authority has listed 37 of its police officers as missing or dead as a result of the attack. Lim believes that number should be 38.
“He was my partner,” Lim said. "We got really attached to him," he added.
“I still step over the spot where he used to sleep in my room because I forget he's not there."
He found consolation in the fact that his partner died instantly. It appeared that the kennel collapsed.
Sirius' remains were cremated at the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in Westchester County; N.Y. Lim collected the ashes and will keep them in an urn at home until April, when he plans to hold a memorial service.
