Remembering The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks Decades Later

History, Animal Rights, Behaviour & Training • 4 minutes of reading

It is well known that dogs have played a major role in history. Since over 20,000 years ago until now, the human-canine bond has influenced and helped shape the evolution of both species.

In more recent years, we have continued to witness the greatness of this unique interspecies relationship through dog’s involvement in many major events, including natural disasters and wars.

During the 20-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we were once again reminded that dogs took part and walked alongside humans throughout the entire duration of the war. In the aftermath of the attack in 2001, dogs helped by partaking in search and rescue missions.

More than 300 dogs worked through the debris of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, looking for survivors and victims’ remains. Share on X

Forgotten 9/11 Heroes – Search & Rescue Dogs

They were also members of the different military teams that were deployed to the Middle East during the conflict. One of the most well known of these K-9s is Cairo, a Belgian Malinois Navy SEAL professional dog. He was one of the heroes of the Special Forces team that carried out Operation Neptune Spear along with the SEAL team 6. Cairo was honored for his service in a private ceremony in 2011 together with all the other members of SEAL Team 6.

Cairo, A Navy SEAL Hero Dog

Another famous hero dog is Conan, another Belgian Malinois who was honored at The White House by President Trump in 2019 for her crucial role as part of the SEALs team that captured and killed the leader of ISIS. The President published a picture of Conan on his personal Twitter account and there were reports that she had been injured in action. This launched the brave pooch into stardom as “thank you” and “get well soon” messages immediately began to circulate all across social media platforms.

Conan, The Famous Military Dog Is Identified

Dogs were also once again in the spotlight in 2021 when the United States military withdrew its troops from the Middle East, since there were reports that numerous working dogs had been left behind in Kabul, Afghanistan. This prompted the outrage of many, including prominent animal organizations, who condemned this decision to possibly sentence these brave canine heroes to death by letting them fall into enemy hands. According to the Pentagon, military dogs did return home, so it appears that some of the possibly over 100 abandoned K-9s were contract working dogs, rescue dogs or pets of evacuees. These animals had been left behind given that the Department of Defenses’ did not allow animals to board military aircrafts.

Several animal rescue organizations offered to fly into Kabul to retrieve the stranded pooches. However, it appeared that private charter aircrafts were not allowed to land, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) adhered to its import policy which forbids the transport of dogs from over 100 nations, including Afghanistan, into the United States. These conditions made the task not just difficult, but virtually impossible to accomplish.

Unfortunately, it is unclear whether all military or contract working dogs were able to return to safety. We are certain, however, that these brave heroes were not given the consideration that they deserved, especially after President Trump signed the PACT Act, making heinous and sadistic acts of cruelty against animals a federal felony. Coincidentally, he passed this new law on the same day that he received and honored Conan at the White House.

Search & Rescue Dogs

Working dogs are not just like any pet dog. These professional workers have undergone rigorous training to be able to acquire the necessary skills to perform tasks such as search and rescue, scent work provide assistance and therapy, act as guides, and so much more.

In extreme situations, such as warfare, natural disasters or medical emergencies, a dog’s performance can determine whether the human in need will live or perish. Share on X

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In the case of contract working dogs, they are trained by private military contractors for military operations. Search and rescue dogs on the other hand, are often trained by private owners who volunteer their and their dog’s time and skills to assist in search missions. Many K-9 search and rescue organizations offer training to dogs and their handlers on search strategy and tactics, scent work, first aid and CPR, navigation and radio communications, as well as on how to work as a team to best serve their communities.

We want to take this opportunity to commend the heroic and noble dogs and handlers who assist in search and rescue operations, as well as all military dogs and contract working dogs for their service. We also want to thank all human military personnel and veterans for their courage, dedication, and service, and we hope that we can have peace in the world going forward.