Bretagne was a special dog, as she was the last known surviving rescue dog who was at Ground Zero to rescue victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
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Bretagne retired from search and rescue when she was 10, instead acting as a goodwill ambassador and reading assistance dog. Last year, she celebrated her 16th birthday with another trip to NY, to be lavished with presents, food and affection.
On Monday, Corliss brought Bretagne to Fairfield Animal Hospital, making the hard decision to put her down after the dog had stopped eating and experienced kidney failure.
Bretagne was a longtime member of Texas Task Force One – an urban search-and-rescue team.
Bretagne (BRIHT’-nee), a golden retriever, was euthanized Monday at a veterinary clinic in the Houston suburb of Cypress, according to a statement from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service.
She deployed with Texas Task Force 1 to the World Trade Center in New York City immediately after the September 11th Attack in 2001. The pair searched for ten days to locate human remains.
After hearing Bretagne’s story and learning that her 16th birthday was coming up, there was no question in our minds that she deserved a Dog’s Best Day for the ages.
After it was done, they carried away her limp body, draped in an American flag, reported the Houston Chronicle.
Bretagne was a golden retriever. “Just because she’s a K9 doesn’t make her any less part of our department than any other member”.
On June 6, just a few months shy of her 17th birthday, Bretagne had to be put to sleep. Following that, her former teammatesgreeted Bretagne with a surprise party.
“She still has this attitude of putting her paw up and saying, ‘Put me in, coach!'” Corliss said about the dog in 2014.
Bretagne did more in her 16 years, than many folks do in their life.
David Padovan, a Fire Department spokesman, said Bretagne had slowed considerably in recent years, but remained loved in the firehouse and the community.
Two dozen co-workers from the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department, including other law enforcement personnel, formed a traditional wall of honor, saluting the canine as she entered Fairfield Animal Hospital in Cypress. She helped shyer children get over their fears about reading aloud to other people, said Corliss.
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“We were there to try to find survivors, and when our task force arrived in Ground Zero, I just couldn’t believe the magnitude of it”.
