September 11th, 2001 will forever be remembered by the American people. It was a day of immense tragedy, of shock and despair, of fear and uncertainty. When the Twin Towers collapsed, nearly 10,000 first responders, emergency workers flew into action to help in the search, rescue, and recovery efforts at ground zero. Roughly 300 of these heroes were dogs. Before the terrorist attacks occurred, a majority of the people in the United States had little understanding of what a disaster dog could actually do. Most had at least heard about sniffer dogs who could help locate people lost in the wilderness, discover hidden drugs, or even detect bombs. But very few of these search and rescue s dogs had been trained to handle recovery efforts stemming from a natural or man-made disaster. Enter disaster dogs. These specialized dogs search for several different sense of living humans through harsh and demanding environments, including collapses and wreckages stemming from tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, airplane crashes, and other kinds of calamities. When the dog discovers a person in trouble, it will immediately signal to emergency response teams, allowing the ability for medical services to be administered more quickly. This could mean all the difference in such life and death situations. It makes sense then that dogs have to be meticulously selected for this important job. They must be able to display an advanced form of agility, obedience both on and off their leashes, and unfailing directional control. Not only do these canines have to undergo an extensive amount of training, their handlers do as well. Typically speaking, these dynamic duos train anywhere from 6 months to two years, depending on their role and willingness to learn. It takes a huge commitment from both dog and human to master and maintain their abilities. Once they do become certified, they have to be able to respond at a moment's notice. And respond they did on that terrible day in American history. But even with all their training and preparation, it was estimated that only about a third of these teams were truly ready for a catastrophe of that magnitude. Despite all of this, these four-legged furry heroes worked steadfastly through 12-hour shifts, climbing through massive piles of debris and avoiding smoldering flames, all while adoring the loud and hectic urban noises that they were not accustomed to hearing. Veterinarians had to be stationed on site to help care for the dogs, their eyes, nose, and paw pads needing to be cleaned often. It was chaos and attacks the dogs mentally, emotionally, and physically. They began to lose their will to search. So much that their handlers had to stage mock finds for the dogs to feel successful and willing to continue. 27 excruciating hours after the collapse, the last living person was rescued from the World Trade Center, discovered by one of these brave disaster dogs, Trackr. Cadaavver dogs were then sent in. Cadaavver dogs are trained to locate numerous types and amounts of human remains, including flesh, bone, hair, blood, teeth, and more. through different states of decomposition. They are able to locate human remains on land, at ground level, a suspended slate, or buried, and in water such as streams, rivers, and lakes. It was because of these heroes that so many people were recovered even months after the attacks. In addition to rescue and recovery dogs, therapy dogs like Nikki and Tikva provided comfort to the first responders and rescue workers who spent countless hours and repeated shifts in the rubble. There were even teams that were deployed to help bring comfort to the relatives of those whose lives were lost and missing. They proved time and time again to be a breath of fresh air for those suffering around them. Some working to the point that they became stressed and overworked themselves. There are a million reasons why dogs are known as man's best friend. The stories from those who aided in the events of September 11th merely prove the point further. From Apollo, the very first dog to arrive on the scene, who continued to work even after he was almost killed by the fire and crumbling buildings, to Jake, who continued his tireless efforts for 17 straight days. To the dogs who adjusted from being rescue to recovery to therapy, like Riley, the infamous golden retriever from the photo at the debris of ground zero. To Brtain, the last dog to remain at the site and the last one to pass on at the age of 16. We owe them more than we can ever repay. It was their hard work and dedication that shed new light on the many things humans and their canine partners can accomplish. Their legacy lives on as more research is conducted and opportunities are created for these amazing service dogs.