Last Surviving 9/11 Rescue Dog Laid to Rest With Touching Salute
Some sad news out of Cypress, Tex.
Bretagne, the last remaining search and rescue dog who served as Ground Zero following the terrorist attacks of September 11, was put down on Monday.
Bretagne (pronounced "Brittany") was a 16-year-old golden retriever who had battling health issues.
When her owner walked her into the veterinarian's office, the Cy-Fair Fire Department paid tribute to her by lining up and saluting her as she sauntered past.
Bretagne, who retired when she was 10, had worked with the department's search and rescue team since 2000. In addition to Ground Zero, she also worked in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.
"She had lived longer and accomplished more than anybody,” a fire department spokesman said.
Bretagne's body was covered in the American flag and her body was sent to Texas A&M where researcher plans to examine the impact working at Ground Zero may have had on her.
To celebrate her 15th birthday last year, Bretagne returned to New York, where she was treated like a queen.