09/10/2025
Dogs are the best! After the tragic events of 9/11, search-and-rescue dogs were brought in to help locate survivors among the rubble. These highly trained dogs were accustomed to finding living people during rescue missions, but at Ground Zero, they mostly discovered deceased victims. This constant exposure without the reward of finding survivors led many of the dogs to show signs of stress, confusion, and even depression, as they sensed their efforts were not producing the outcomes they were trained for. To help the dogs cope, rescue workers began staging fake rescues. Volunteers would hide in the debris so the dogs could “find” them, giving the animals a sense of accomplishment and boosting their morale. These efforts not only kept the dogs motivated but also highlighted the deep emotional connection and sensitivity that rescue animals share with their work and human handlers during times of crisis.
