14 WTC search and rescue dogs dead

nydailynews.com ^ | August 22, 2004 | By HEIDI EVANS

[endthematrix]

Fourteen search and rescue dogs have died since their exposure to toxic rubble from the Sept. 11 terrorist attack - including eight from cancer, according to a study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. But researchers believe there is no connection between the deaths and the chemicals they were exposed to. Despite the study's findings, some of the owners whose dogs have died still blame the toxic brew the dogs immersed themselves in during the hunt for survivors and remains.

[kingu]

Hmm. Just about three years after the attacks, fourteen of the, what, hundred(?) dogs have died. Sounds like it's gonna be Bush's fault.

[codyjacksmom]

What wonderful animals...and what awesome work they did.

[jennyp]

It's been 21 dog years since 9/11. I wouldn't be surprised if it's just coincidence.

Also relevant: How old is the average rescue dog, and how many rescue dogs were employed at the WTC?

[weegee]

When will these be added to the "Bush's fault" death list on the Washington Post's website along with those who "served" in Iraq but died of vehicular accidents in Kuwait and elsewhere.

[jennyp]

I suppose I could just read the article to find out...

Dr. Philip Fox of Manhattan's Animal Medical Center, who has been monitoring the health of 30 New York City police dogs who worked at the World Trade Center, agreed with Otto's findings.

"These dogs have not been inundated by suspicious or debilitating diseases that we were afraid might occur," Fox said.

"They all had lung irritation, eye irritation and coughing in the first few weeks, but they seem to be clinically healthy almost three years later, except for a couple of animals who died of cancer that would be expected, given their age and breed."

[Brytani]

Interesting article on the search and rescue dogs at the WTC

http://www.dogsinthenews.com/issues/0109/articles/010915a.htm

[Ruth A.]

These dogs are greater heros than the highly decorated John sKerry. They did it in less than his 4 months, too.

[endthematrix]

The World Trade Center's Heroic Dog Yearbook

Many of the doges can be found here. Many of the handlers had filter masks on while the dogs didn't. Some doge were old then and it has been four years since...

[Jeff Chandler]

Bush lied and dogs died!

[endthematrix]

So will the media read the names of the dogs from WTC but not the Pentagon...since that's the "good" 9/11 attack?

[conshack]

I was a K-9 dog handler in Vietnam. When these dogs were old and when we departed Vietnam, these dogs were euthanized(sp). The 9/11 dogs got three more years than many Nam dogs did.
I make this statement knowing that the sentry dogs in Vietnam could not be transitioned back to being domestic animals-they were trained to attack. And, they are after all, animals.

[endthematrix]

The reason I posted was it jumped out that they supposedly died of complications from HAZMAT at the site. There have been complaints from NYC locals of health problems. The official version is "all is fine go about you daily business". I have a friend who was Air Cav and heard the same whitewash on the various agents they dropped in Vietnam. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

[cajungirl]

someone on this site handles rescue dogs and pposted right after 911 that the dogs would die soon after the rescue. He as I remember said it was common for rescue dogs to die within a year or two after working at a site like this. I cannot remember who he was but remember clearly,,,,it is seared into me like Christmas iin Cambodia.

[pageonetoo]

Follow the money!

[Casloy]

Not to mention the other disasters they have probaby sniffed through since 9/11. Let's see, how can we blame Bush for this?

[vetvetdoug]

I cannot believe this is news. This is normal aging processes. An average dog lives eight years and nowhere does this article give the ages of the dogs that died or the statistics that show how many normal dogs out of a given population will die in three years. This is just journalistic sensational bullshi.

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

Eighteen got pregnant during the Clinton presidency. More than just a coincidence.

[vetvetdoug]

I took care of many of the patrol dogs that were converted sentry dogs. Those dogs were loyal and well trained. Dogs that were left in Viet Nam because of an unfounded belief that they would bring back an infectious disease, Erhlichiosis, to the US canine population. Once it was discovered that the disease was endemic in the US, the patrol dogs were brought back alive.

Thank you for taking care of our dogs. They were good soldiers.

[Calpernia]