From the moment the first plane hit one of the Twin Towers, dogs emerged as heroes.

On the 70th floor, as soon as he heard the crash and the ensuing chaos, Omar Eduardo Rivera, who was blind, ordered his guide dog, Dorado, to go down the stairs to safety without him. Rivera was certain he could never make it to safety himself.

Dorado began to obey him, then turned and came back to his side. For perhaps the first time ever, she would not do what he asked. She was not going to leave without him.

So the two set off down the stairs together, and both made it to safety.

Next: Search & Rescue, Canine Style

Animals at Ground Zero
A special tribute

Heroes in all shapes, sizes, and breeds
The dogs and their people who risked their lives to save others

Meet One of the Dog Teams
“We were a team, and if something wasn’t safe for the dogs, we would say.”

Pier 40: Heart of the Operation
How the animal rescue teams came together

The Four-Legged Heroes
How Dorado led his blind person to safety

Search & Rescue, Canine Style
The Suffolk Country crew sets up the MASH unit

Where Are They Now?
The dogs of 9/11 – 10 years later

Pets in Peril
Tweety-Pye gets left behind

Diary of a K-9 Team
Paul Morgan and Cody join the FEMA team

Preparing for Animal Care in a Disaster
A few quick tips to help keep you safe

If You’re an Animal Organization
Working together to build an emergency coalition

A Snapshot of the E-mails
“I am an active duty Marine. My 10 cats and 2 dogs will not have a home if we go to war...”

Other Websites
A Memorial Roster
Many of the dogs who worked at Ground Zero suffered serious health problems and passed away in the years that followed.

A Tribute
A preview to radio talk-show host Steve Dale’s book called Dog Heroes of September 11th: A Tribute to America's Search and Rescue Dogs.

A Photo Diary
A good click-through photo story of the dogs at Ground Zero.

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