Last known living 9/11 search dog dies in Texas at age 16
CYPRESS, Texas (KABC) -- The last known living 9/11 search dog has died in a Houston suburb at age 16.
The Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department says Bretagne (pronounced Britney) was a founding canine member of its search and rescue team in 2000.
The golden retriever joined members of Texas Task Force 1 sent to the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan after the terrorist attack brought down the buildings on Sept. 11, 2001. She later responded to disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Bretagne was honored with an epic 16th birthday in New York City last year.
A statement from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service says Bretagne was euthanized Monday at a veterinary clinic in the Houston suburb of Cypress.
A post on the Texas Task Force 1 Facebook page remembers "the valiant effort and dedication to finding a victim trapped in a destroyed building that Bretagne showed us on a regular basis."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also thanked Bretagne for her service in a tweet.
Bretagne was 2 when she and her handler, Denise Corliss, were part of the Texas Task Force 1. They spent 10 days at the scene searching rubble for human remains.
Bretagne was nominated for a Hero Dog Award from the American Humane Association in 2014. An online biography posted by the organization says that Bretagne served as an ambassador for search and rescue dogs in retirement, often visiting elementary schools.
Bretagne retired from active duty at age 9.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
