New York Search & Rescue Heroes Tribute

Our hearts here at the PAW go out to those victims of the September 11th attack in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, one of the most heinous acts in world history. We cannot even come close to expressing the magnitude of our sorrow, shock and outright anger that we are now feeling during this most trying of times in America, and indeed the entire democratic world.

We would like to give tribute to all those who are working so hard towards finding and rescuing the innocent victims of this gut-wrenching tragedy as well as all our innocent loved ones that were so ruthlessly taken from us, their loving families and friends. You will all remain close in our hearts, prayers and thoughts.

As the dust settles from the storm, man’s best friend canvasses the hot, jagged rubble searching for survivors and recovering those lost to us forever. There are several dedicated canine search and rescue teams currently rummaging through all the debris for any sign of life, of hope. These dogs and their handlers are working in rough, heart-wrenching conditions in order to perform this courageous job that they have been trained for, to search without complaint about our fellow man. These brave animals not only give of themselves unselfishly but vigorously and enthusiastically. They are truly man’s best friends.

Also, PAW wants to reflect on the importance of rescue & therapeutic animals in our daily lives that have not been awarded the type of respect they deserve. A multitude of dedicated animals finds themselves coming to our aid in varied aspects of our lives, each and every day. A very large number of these canine heroes were saved & adopted from a sure death from many local shelters in your community, and all across America. Some of these unforgotten heroes are search and rescue disaster dogs, search and rescue wilderness dogs, water rescue dogs, bomb & drug-sniffing canines, dogs who provide security at our airports and keep airport runways free of birds (thereby doing double duty, for the airlines and the birds), guides for the blind, ears for the deaf, therapy for the sick or lonely and even dogs employed during times of war who perform duties from being front line scouts and carrying items to and from different areas, to those who bravely alert their handlers and those with them of dangerous situations. All of these unsung canine heroes steadfastly give of themselves completely for their human counterparts, often with their very lives. Their unselfishness and loyalty provide us with the inspiration to give all we can in our cause to save as many healthy, adoptable homeless pets as possible. A majority of these canine heroes were saved & adopted from a sure death from many local shelters in your community and all across America.

All of us at the PAW wish to offer our heartfelt sympathies to all the victims of America’s recent terrorist attacks and their loved ones. As Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, so correctly stated, “These tragic actions contradict all human and religious values.” If we could wrap our arms around each and every one of you, we certainly would. For all of you hard-working firefighters, search & rescue, police officers, volunteers and the noble search & rescue K-9 dogs working at ground zero, we offer our deepest gratitude and respect to you, our heroes.

We are all behind our beloved America and “UNITED WE WILL STAND” one nation under GOD! God Bless America………..

Thank you,
Your friends at PAW.