Let us all give a final salute to Bretagne, the last living 9/11 rescue dog who was put to sleep on June 6 at the ripe age of 16.
This heroic Golden Retriever was only two when a hijacked aircraft struck the World Trade Center. Along with her handler Denise Corliss, Bretagne spent 12 hour shifts sniffing through rubble for survivors and comforting first responders. Though she wasn’t the only dog to contribute to the search-and-rescue effort, Bretagne was the last surviving dog to have served on that day.
After 9/11, Bretagne also played a role in the Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ivan rescue efforts.
Bretagne returned to Ground Zero for the first time since 2001 on her 16th birthday. Her body was donated to Texas A&M University.
When they learned that the dog was to be put to sleep, firefighters in Bretagne’s community gave her a hero’s salute as she walked to the vet. This heartbreaking moment was captured on video.