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American Morning

America's New War: Dogs Come to Rescue in World Trade Center Ruins

Aired September 25, 2001 - 10:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Between 1,400 and 1,500 rescue workers have been injured working in the ruins of the World Trade Center. But the rescue efforts are also taking a toll on four-legged rescuers as well.

Here's CNN's Kitty Pilgrim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At the World Trade Center disaster site, heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Each one brings a unique and necessary skill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is trooper Rick Scranton (ph), with New York State Police K-9 unit. This is my partner, Theo. We generally leave where we are staying at 5:00 in the morning, and we get home anytime between 8:00, 9:00, and 10:00 all the time.

PILGRIM: SPCA, the law enforcement division that protects animals, has established an onsite medical unit especially for dogs. Between grueling shifts, canines are fed, bathed, and rehydrated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw one handler come in here with his dog. The back legs were giving out on the dog. He rehydrated, and we gave him whatever care it needed. The dog actually pulled his handler back towards the pile. I never saw anything like that. I see that the dogs and the handlers worked as a team. They are like two trained soldiers.

PILGRIM: However, not all dogs are soldiering through piles of rubble. One special unit was brought in to provide emotional support to rescue workers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Both of these dogs have been trained to pick up on trauma and goes towards it. So they pursue people they perceive as being in a state of trauma.

We've been visiting a lot of firemen, police, and cleanup detail.

PILGRIM: They reach out to these dogs because it's OK to.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does she need a new concept? But then, if I was laying at the bottom of that pile, maybe a dog would lift my morale.

PILGRIM: Like company of firemen, the bond between rescue dog and handler is tight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We live with these dogs. These dogs go home with us every night.

About 350 canine teams have been deployed to the disaster site. Working around the clock, they're joining the ranks of heroes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's been a hero because he's been trying to find heroes.

PILGRIM: Kitty Pilgrim, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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