The dog believed to be the last surviving 9/11 search-and-rescue dog died on June 6. The beloved golden retriever, Bretagne, was just a pup when she searched for survivors in the rubble of the World Trade Center. She died in Houston, Texas at a veterinary clinic at 16.
Her handler, Denise Corliss, is a volunteer firefighter in the Houston community known as Cypress-Fairbanks (Cy-Fair), and Bretagne was a regular fixture at the firehouse, serving as an ambassador for the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department. The Chronicle says members of the search-and-rescue dog community and nearly 30 firefighters came to the veterinary clinic on Monday to have a formal ceremony for Bretagne and an American flag was draped over her body.
Before Bretagne retired six years ago, she’d responded to many natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, as a certified FEMA Disaster Search Dog. In retirement, she still helped to train new search-and-rescue dogs and frequently visited first grade classrooms and students with special needs, like autism. Last year, New York City held a Sweet 16 party for her, where she was celebrated by fans with cake and a billboard in Times Square.
“It is with a heavy heart that the CFVFD must say ‘goodbye’ to our beloved Bretagne,” the fire department wrote in a commemorative post on its Facebook page. “Bretagne exemplified how important and how much animals have to offer, given a chance,” Facebook user Susan Dwork Teixera shared. “R.I.P. Bretagne, a true American Hero!”
