Celebrities Pay Homage to 9/11 Hero Dogs

In remembrance of the dogs whose sense of duty, devotion, courage and compassion helped the nation to heal after the horror of 9/11, on September 8, 2011 the American Humane Association presented a tribute to honor their efforts.

Held at the National Arts Club in Manhattan, Whoopi Goldberg, It’s Me or the Dog star Victoria Stilwell (both of whom are judges in American Humane Association’s Hero Dog Awards); American Humane Association spokesdog Rin Tin Tin– who garnered attention for the gala by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange– and reality personality Clinton Kelly of TLC’s What Not To Wear were among the stars who saluted the canines who softened the scars on the collective soul of the country.

The emotional evening included appearances by two first responders at Ground Zero– Lt. David Lim, whose bomb-sniffing dog Sirius perished in the attack, and Rachel McPherson, CEO of the Good Dog Foundation, whose faithful four-legged friend Fidel, an Animal-Assisted Therapy dog, helped to lead grieving families out of the depths of their despair. Images from photo-essayist Charlotte Dumas captured the heart-tugging spirit of the salute, and the lights dimmed for two video presentations– one featuring interviews with first-responders, the other a short documentary of “9/11 Hero Dogs” from Dog Files founder Kenn Bell, before New York Police Department’s Daniel Rodriguez’s moving rendition of “God Bless America” echoed in the hearts of every attendee as the event concluded.

In the days after 9/11 the American Humane Association mobilized the Red Star™ Emergency Services teams and an 82-foot mobile veterinary clinic and command center to New York City. Some Red Star™ teams delivered rescue harnesses for police K-9s working at Ground Zero and provided technical assistance for their use, while other Red Star™ staff delivered supplies for displaced pets and K-9 working dogs at the Brooklyn staging location. The rescue rig was subsequently stationed at the Staten Island Landfill where World Trade Center debris was taken, and K-9 recovery teams continued to search tirelessly through the rubble to ease the pain of those in mourning.

For more information regarding the American Humane Association’s efforts:

• visit www.americanhumane.org

This touching tribute from Kenn Bell of Dog Files was shown at the event:

Photo Credit: 1010 Wins

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