Sep 09 2008
World Trade Center Rescue Dogs Doing O.K.
This Thursday marks seven years since 9/11.
By now, the dust has long settled, the area that once housed the Twin Towers has been transformed, and those who sifted through the rubble have moved on.
While there’s no doubt that the emotional effects of the rescue work still linger, for some of the rescuers, physical issues are also present.
But not so for the four-footed search dogs, who possess no long term side effects from their dangerous, heroic work.
The New York City Police Department dogs who were deployed to the site after the attack were studied for five years and currently show no long term health effects, this according to the July issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Although many human rescuers continue to suffer from increased rates of illness and severity of symptoms related to respiratory tract disease, the 27 dogs observed in the study do not have the same issues.
The dogs were exposed to the same smoke, dust and toxins as their human counterparts, but researchers think the difference lies in the lung defense mechanisms in the dogs.
I guess that’s the silver lining.

The American Mutt-i-grees Club, founded by Pet Savers Foundation, wants to spread the word that mutts are people dogs too!
The American Mutt-i-grees Club is all about change and choice:
Changing how mixed-breed dogs are regarded, by celebrating the unique
characteristics of each one of them, and helping people make the right
choice - the choice to adopt mixed-breed puppies and [...]
The pills you pop may make you feel better, but they could be fatal to your pet. Just last year, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) handled 89,000 cases of pets exposed to human medications.
Here’s what to watch out for:
NSAIDs
According to the APCC, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen or naproxen are the most [...]
My distaste for puppy mills notwithstanding, I’m pleased to report that, stepping away from its reputation as “The Puppy Mill Capital of the East,” the Pennsylvania Legislature passed HB 2525 on October 8, a bill that will improve the lives of tens of thousands of dogs living in Pennsylvania’s puppy mills.
HB 2525 doubles the cage [...]
Two years ago today, my husband and I rescued Greta, and our lives have never been the same since. Sure, it was hard in the beginning–after all, she was a puppy with no experiences outside of living in a wire crate 23 hours a day.
Slowly, she learned how to relax and live in a home. [...]
October is Adopt-A-Dog month, a celebration established by the American Humane Association to promote dog adoptions from animal shelters and educate people about responsible pet care. Learn more about events in your area here.
And just in time for Adopt-A-Dog month, Disney’s new film, Beverly Hills Chihuahua hits theaters October 3. The film is about Chloe, [...]
Hi Juliet,
My name is Mina Hochberg and I’m a journalist based in NYC. I’m considering writing a story about the blog, “The Daily Coyote,” which you mentioned on your blog recently. Right now I’m reaching out to “Coyote” fans and was wondering if you might have a minute to answer a few quick questions? You can contact me at minahochberg at earthlink.net.
Thanks, and I hope to hear from you soon!
Best,
Mina