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Dog Heroes of September 11th: A Tribute to America's Search and Rescue Dogs
Stunning photos of 9/11 and the four footed heroes whose job was to find people. A view of incredible love and faithfulness not usually seen. If you are a dog lover, or involved with animal rescue- this book is like no other!
232 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2005
22 people are currently reading
1106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 15, 2020
This book is perfectly fine for what it is, that is a coffee table book meant to be opened to almost any page, read for a few minutes and then left where it is until the next time. Its primary value lies in the photographs, of which there are many. While these dog-handler teams are quite remarkable, their training extensive and their experience indescribable, the style of the book doesn't inform or capture as much as I would have liked. It's very much the same thing over and over, handlers describing similar experiences, which mostly have to do with how the days went. Those no real meat in this, information-wise, nor much depth to it. Not that it pretends otherwise, and it is true that this was published only a very few years later, when the shock and horror of the event was still fresh in people's minds, so hearing about how the dogs were looked after and how eager and excited the dogs were to be doing their work probably felt more like the way to go, but this many years later it just sort of... this book exists, and is pretty much exactly what it looks like. Which is fine, but not my cup of tea because it doesn't have much in-depth stuff on 9/11 or the dogs. Just short profiles, and a couple photos for each dog.
August 19, 2012
I think I had tears in my eyes the whole way through. So many service dogs came to the rescue- not only searching for live victims, but also giving comfort to all the firemen, policemen, volunteers, clean up crews who worked tirelessly to find their colleagues and other people. The dogs recovered hundreds of body parts/bits helping many people have something to bury and closure. These dogs worked in harsh conditions, many later suffered from cancer and breathing ailments. Each testimony described dogs that worked and worked and worked, never wanting to stop searching. They also described dogs that suffered from "depression" because they were live person rescue dogs, not cadaver, and had a hard time reconciling the fact that they couldn't find anyone. Wonderful animals. I loved them all and their people.
July 26, 2011
I started crying looking at the cover. I continued crying through the Preface and Introduction and had no idea how I'd make it through this book. But after a couple of stories, I settled in okay and really enjoyed it (and still cried off and on). A lot of the tales really are the same but I never got tired of hearing how these search and rescue dogs also worked as "therapy dogs" for human rescue workers and how much the dogs loved doing their job for no more reward than their favorite toy. A really touching book.
September 18, 2011
It took me several days to read this one, mostly because I was reading through tears. Whether or not you are a dog lover, you will be moved by the stories of canine heroes who worked tirelessly to bring closure to families, in the most horrific of conditions. The presentation is well done, suitable for the respectful preservation of their stories.
November 8, 2016
Fascinating look at the canine heroes of September 11. Lots of repetition of the duties, emotional states, and sadness of the lack of love finds. Didn't know about the Fresh Kills Landfill area. Loved all the photos of the dogs, especially the border collies and black labs.
July 27, 2017
Fantastic book!! I borrowed the book from my local library and I'm considering buying my own copy!! The book tells of the search and rescue dogs of September 11th. There are emotional parts of the book. I will never forget!
January 30, 2016
Could I give this 10 stars? A beautiful tribute.
November 3, 2014
This wonderful book presents profiles in courage for the many search dogs who brought solace to families of 9/11. They were charged with finding loved ones’ remains at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Fresh Kills in Staten Island. Significant and emotional stories about these dogs’ lives and actions, told by their handlers, are captivating. The bond between each dog and his handler is as beautiful as the photographs. A definition of hero is feats of courage, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life. Yes courage, but these dogs would have it no other way.
The dogs performed miracles for words of encouragement, a pat, a game and love. This book is a tribute to their efforts and successes. Unfortunately one book does not contain every dog who served so honorably, but the many depicted here represent them all well.
The handlers’ words are humble. They express how they were deeply touched by the tremendous outpouring of support received from so many people over 9/11. They speak of the cards and posters from schoolchildren, delicious meals prepared by a volunteer chef sent in by the Salvation Army, huge pallets of donated dog food for the dogs and countless hours donated by the veterinarians. They note how so many people showed their appreciation in meaningful ways.
After reading this book, I better understand that service dogs serve because they love it. Also, I’ll have a better appreciation for the many people who have put time, effort and skill into teaching the dog to do a complex job. When these dogs are at work, a switch turns on for them and their handlers to do the job they’re trained for. But during the job, the handlers make the search itself into a game of “hunt” in order to keep the dogs’ morale up and engaged day after day. When the work shift is over, the switch is flipped to love, to play, and to relax as a regular dog. These dogs love the challenge, and the hunt, and the opportunity to serve their handlers, as much as they love their down time.
This book includes a memorial to the heroes of Shanksville Flight 93. The book includes a chapter about Therapy Dogs who provide comfort to people during crisis. These touching stories will warm your heart.
The chapter describing the training given to the Search and Rescue dogs will amaze you at how quickly these smart, enthusiastic animals absorb intricate training and how they deftly apply what they learn. It takes the right dog who is especially excited about the game of “the hunt”, matched with the right handler, and given the right training. I was gratified to hear stories of some of the search and rescue dogs as originally being rescued or abandoned dogs.
The advantage of this 10th anniversary edition is that you are given the “where they are now” chapter. Many of the 9/11 search dogs have passed away, but some are still alive and enjoying retirement or semi-retirement. Although 9/11 was a great, great service to their country, these dogs’ lives include other search and rescue stories that are also gripping.
There is a Chapter on the MWD – Military Working Dog. For America, dogs in the military began with WWI. What Larry Chilcoat says about his military dog during the Vietnam War will give you one example of the bonds established. “After more than 40 years, I still carry a photo of Geisha in my wallet; she changed my life. She was my lifeblood in a jungle nightmare, and we both relied on each other day and night to survive. She heard things I didn’t and let me know. I knew she would die to protect me.”
As America’s response to the 2001 terrorist attacks increased our military fighting presence overseas, the need also increased for canine assistance. The canine as a bomb detector has become the latest tool in the U.S. war on terror, and has been invaluable in the Middle East. It seems that the Labrador retriever is the ideal candidate for the role of IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Detection Specialist.
Volunteer canine handlers incur tremendous expenses to train and maintain these dogs during their careers, and then in retirement. In 2000, Sam Balsam founded a nonprofit 501(c ) (3) organization called Search and Rescue Assist to help SAR volunteers with the training of their dogs. The organization hopes to offset some of the expenses and thereby increase the quality of those dedicated teams.
This book is a precious tribute. We will never forget.
The dogs performed miracles for words of encouragement, a pat, a game and love. This book is a tribute to their efforts and successes. Unfortunately one book does not contain every dog who served so honorably, but the many depicted here represent them all well.
The handlers’ words are humble. They express how they were deeply touched by the tremendous outpouring of support received from so many people over 9/11. They speak of the cards and posters from schoolchildren, delicious meals prepared by a volunteer chef sent in by the Salvation Army, huge pallets of donated dog food for the dogs and countless hours donated by the veterinarians. They note how so many people showed their appreciation in meaningful ways.
After reading this book, I better understand that service dogs serve because they love it. Also, I’ll have a better appreciation for the many people who have put time, effort and skill into teaching the dog to do a complex job. When these dogs are at work, a switch turns on for them and their handlers to do the job they’re trained for. But during the job, the handlers make the search itself into a game of “hunt” in order to keep the dogs’ morale up and engaged day after day. When the work shift is over, the switch is flipped to love, to play, and to relax as a regular dog. These dogs love the challenge, and the hunt, and the opportunity to serve their handlers, as much as they love their down time.
This book includes a memorial to the heroes of Shanksville Flight 93. The book includes a chapter about Therapy Dogs who provide comfort to people during crisis. These touching stories will warm your heart.
The chapter describing the training given to the Search and Rescue dogs will amaze you at how quickly these smart, enthusiastic animals absorb intricate training and how they deftly apply what they learn. It takes the right dog who is especially excited about the game of “the hunt”, matched with the right handler, and given the right training. I was gratified to hear stories of some of the search and rescue dogs as originally being rescued or abandoned dogs.
The advantage of this 10th anniversary edition is that you are given the “where they are now” chapter. Many of the 9/11 search dogs have passed away, but some are still alive and enjoying retirement or semi-retirement. Although 9/11 was a great, great service to their country, these dogs’ lives include other search and rescue stories that are also gripping.
There is a Chapter on the MWD – Military Working Dog. For America, dogs in the military began with WWI. What Larry Chilcoat says about his military dog during the Vietnam War will give you one example of the bonds established. “After more than 40 years, I still carry a photo of Geisha in my wallet; she changed my life. She was my lifeblood in a jungle nightmare, and we both relied on each other day and night to survive. She heard things I didn’t and let me know. I knew she would die to protect me.”
As America’s response to the 2001 terrorist attacks increased our military fighting presence overseas, the need also increased for canine assistance. The canine as a bomb detector has become the latest tool in the U.S. war on terror, and has been invaluable in the Middle East. It seems that the Labrador retriever is the ideal candidate for the role of IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Detection Specialist.
Volunteer canine handlers incur tremendous expenses to train and maintain these dogs during their careers, and then in retirement. In 2000, Sam Balsam founded a nonprofit 501(c ) (3) organization called Search and Rescue Assist to help SAR volunteers with the training of their dogs. The organization hopes to offset some of the expenses and thereby increase the quality of those dedicated teams.
This book is a precious tribute. We will never forget.
January 17, 2019
I first found out about this book from reading a newspaper article about the USAR K-9 teams of Texas Task Force 1 in The San Antonio Express News about what they went through on 9/11. Having a strong interest in K-9 teams and possibly wanting to consider it as a career one day, I knew I had to get it. After reading this book for the first time, I have to say that it was definitely well worth it. Never before have I read such a gripping account of Search and Rescue K-9 teams.
This book goes into great detail about the sequences of events that triggered the unparalleled nation-wide response from complete strangers. If you had a trained dog on 9/11 chances are your pager went off or your phone rang that morning calling you away to answer the call of duty. From never before seen photographs and emotionally charged first-hand accounts of K-9 handlers Author Nona Bauer puts the reader in the center of the action like no other writer can. From the sights and heart wrenching experiences of Ground Zero, to the massive recovery effort at the Pentagon and finally to sifting through human remains at the Fresh Kills Landfill in New Jersey, this story not only examines the harrowing aspect of search and recovery work but it also delves deeply into the emotions and the mindset of dogs and their handlers as they endure punishing eight to twelve hour shifts combing through the rubble and to providing emotional support to firefighters and other rescue workers on site that had lost so much in such a short period of time.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and it really is true because when you look into the eyes of the USAR dogs after a long tour, you can sense the profound emotions they're feeling just by looking at the sad and often rejected expressions on their faces. If anyone thinks that dogs don't feel the same emotions that people do, this book will certainly prove you dead wrong. Search and Rescue dogs come in all different breeds and each have their own unique set of skills that they brought to the table following the events of 9/11. From Border Collies, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and Belgian Malinois, all were trained as either live find or Cadaver dogs. Sometimes one dog would be cross-trained in both disciplines which would be needed in the days following the attacks.
Over the years and especially after 9/11 the media has emphasized the actions of everyday heroes. We know of many firefighters, police officers, and the brave service men and women of our armed forces, but this book introduces you to a new breed of heroes; the unsung heroes of September 11th, the Search and Rescue dogs that brought relief and in many ways closure to the families and the rescuers of September 11th 2001. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a dog lover. It's a must read for the whole family.
This book goes into great detail about the sequences of events that triggered the unparalleled nation-wide response from complete strangers. If you had a trained dog on 9/11 chances are your pager went off or your phone rang that morning calling you away to answer the call of duty. From never before seen photographs and emotionally charged first-hand accounts of K-9 handlers Author Nona Bauer puts the reader in the center of the action like no other writer can. From the sights and heart wrenching experiences of Ground Zero, to the massive recovery effort at the Pentagon and finally to sifting through human remains at the Fresh Kills Landfill in New Jersey, this story not only examines the harrowing aspect of search and recovery work but it also delves deeply into the emotions and the mindset of dogs and their handlers as they endure punishing eight to twelve hour shifts combing through the rubble and to providing emotional support to firefighters and other rescue workers on site that had lost so much in such a short period of time.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and it really is true because when you look into the eyes of the USAR dogs after a long tour, you can sense the profound emotions they're feeling just by looking at the sad and often rejected expressions on their faces. If anyone thinks that dogs don't feel the same emotions that people do, this book will certainly prove you dead wrong. Search and Rescue dogs come in all different breeds and each have their own unique set of skills that they brought to the table following the events of 9/11. From Border Collies, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and Belgian Malinois, all were trained as either live find or Cadaver dogs. Sometimes one dog would be cross-trained in both disciplines which would be needed in the days following the attacks.
Over the years and especially after 9/11 the media has emphasized the actions of everyday heroes. We know of many firefighters, police officers, and the brave service men and women of our armed forces, but this book introduces you to a new breed of heroes; the unsung heroes of September 11th, the Search and Rescue dogs that brought relief and in many ways closure to the families and the rescuers of September 11th 2001. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a dog lover. It's a must read for the whole family.
March 18, 2017
A truly touching account that brought tears to my eyes. Dogs have proven time and time again that they are indeed man's Best Friend.
September 30, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book. I love reading about dog heroes! This is a great book to read! I highly recommend it.
July 12, 2025
A very good book. Had heard about the search dogs at the WTC but really enjoyed this in depth read on what most of these dogs and their handlers did during the attacks not only at the WTC but the Pentagon, Shanksville, and the Fresh Kills Landfill for looking for possible survivors and finding as much of the remains of the dead as possible. I read the 10th anniversary edition and it was very insightful to see the progress made in training these amazing dogs as well as the edition of the war dogs trained to help find IEDs. A very good read that definitely brought tears to my eyes as I read. They were just doing what they were trained to do but the comfort they brought to everyone at the sites of the attacks and the closure they brought to those that lost loved ones will forever mark them as heroes.
August 15, 2025
DOG HEROES OF SEPTEMBER 11th was an emotionally charged book for me to read and review. Between the loss of the incidents and the dog's willingness to do anything to make its handlers and trainers happy, I could no longer hold back my sadness. What a waste of life, time, and money. Still, it's an important book to experience.
July 25, 2025
A man’s best friend indeed!
January 18, 2017
Lovely photos and a good (although not deeply in-depth) look at some of the dog rescue teams that worked the 9/11 disaster. It gets very repetitive, though. I've never been able to finish the book and I own a copy so I don't even have the excuse of fearing library late fees to fall back on. The last time I opened the book up was when the last 9/11 rescue dog, Bretange, was euthanized for poor health and received an honor guard for her trip to the veterinarian's office.
I don't know if I'll be able to read any of it again for a looonnnggg time. It's not the fault of the book though. I'm still too close to the events of 9/11 to not get upset at mention of it. I've got a feeling that in later decades this book will be a milestone for dog/human relationships and a look at 9/11 itself, but for right now it's too painful for me to go into for any length of time.
I don't know if I'll be able to read any of it again for a looonnnggg time. It's not the fault of the book though. I'm still too close to the events of 9/11 to not get upset at mention of it. I've got a feeling that in later decades this book will be a milestone for dog/human relationships and a look at 9/11 itself, but for right now it's too painful for me to go into for any length of time.
November 3, 2016
Their is tears in my eyes, the author put in so much emotion into the book that you can't help but tear up. The author put that emotion in their on purpose to make the book more pessimistic and for more readers to get hooked. The dogs in this book saved many peoples lives, 9/11 was a sad tragedy lots of annihilation happened on that day the towers crumbled, the people screamed... but we are lucky the dogs were here to save the people that were stuck in the ashes, concrete, metal and wood the dogs sniffed them out and the people nursed them back to heath. The saddest dog in here was max the author did a good job describing him, like he was blind and he still saved the people, Very sad like I said a lot of emotion put in. The author also put in a lot of realistic proof like he put in some quotes the people said, some pictures. Speaking about pictures the pictures were so awesome also sad, seeing the dogs in their little vest helping people I can't help but 'awe'. In the book many Labradors helped the 9/11 survivors which makes me think of my dog when ever I see my dog I treat him like a human.
September 28, 2012
I enjoyed having some time to 'meet' the SAR teams and learn a little about their contributions and the teamwork involved.
This is the 2nd edition - issued on the 10th anniversary of the too-memorable September 11th disasters.
We get a little followup on each team since 2001 and some of the enhancements to the training methodology & resources to increase the number of qualified teams. [National Search Dog Foundation - an impressive organization dedicated to making the training & certification process more accessible and efficient]
Glimpses of memorials for the human victims and the Search Dog team who did their darnedest to find the victims of the attacks.
A few tears and a lot of smiles as I read the stories.
I am glad my library system has this on their shelves!
This is the 2nd edition - issued on the 10th anniversary of the too-memorable September 11th disasters.
We get a little followup on each team since 2001 and some of the enhancements to the training methodology & resources to increase the number of qualified teams. [National Search Dog Foundation - an impressive organization dedicated to making the training & certification process more accessible and efficient]
Glimpses of memorials for the human victims and the Search Dog team who did their darnedest to find the victims of the attacks.
A few tears and a lot of smiles as I read the stories.
I am glad my library system has this on their shelves!
August 8, 2012
I picked up this lovely book to use in a unit I was creating for elementary school children about dogs (or animals). It was to be a support resource with the delightful pictures and the short "chapters" about individual dogs. I found I learned a lot more about the requirements and designations of the various rescue dogs than I had expected... so a fun book to read and a great resource for that unit!
January 12, 2009
Amazing stories of Search and Rescue (SARS) dogs and their handlers and their heroic role in the aftermath of 9/11. I'm glad to have insight into the steadfast, and time-consuming commitment these individuals and their dogs have engaged in to provide such an honorable service to the everyday people of the US.
February 5, 2009
This book has a profile of each dog and handler that worked the locations that were attacked on 9/11. The dogs will touch the hearts of dog lovers. Their commitment to work and their bond with the handler are amazing. But, without training, all these dogs served as therapy to the fire and police departments.
June 9, 2014
surprising, but I guess not too terribly astonishing, how much the search and rescue dogs acted as therapy animals for the ground zero workers and the families of those lost. The dogs could reach people who had been hurt beyond my comprehension.
Dogs can be the best empaths, the best friend a person has had.
Dogs can be the best empaths, the best friend a person has had.
February 29, 2016
Oh, this was SUCH a tearjerker. DO NOT try to get through this w/o a box or 2 of Kleenex. The pictures are great, the stories are heart tuggers & I couldn't help but walk away w/ the felling that these animals were/are gifts from God. They remind me of the book "The Little Engine That Could". They have the hearts of lions.
August 17, 2015
Should have explained the different ratings/certifications that each of the dogs had or could gain. Other than that, it's a wonderful tribute to the dogs and handlers who answered the call to search for survivors and remains of victims.
December 10, 2015
A great book - I challenge anyone to not tear up while reading it! It was amazing to learn how much the dog owner pays, from their own pocket, for the dog, training, health issues, etc. We should be grateful for these dogs and their owners.
April 8, 2015
Can't read all of it - still makes me cry.
April 19, 2012
It's amazing what these dogs and their people can accomplish together.
November 6, 2012
Beautiful book. Sad though since the dogs are all dead at this point since 2001 was a while ago
Pictures are great. Love those dogs
Pictures are great. Love those dogs
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January 14, 2013Beautiful touching book. Highly recommended for anyone who has the utmost love and admiration for the service animals in our world.
April 29, 2014
Excellent, eye-opening read. Learned quite a bit. Very special dogs indeed.
February 11, 2015
Wonderful photography.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews