We are dedicating this
page to the friends and families of those killed or injured during the cowardly
attack on an innocent American civilian population on 9/11/01; also to the
rescue workers and volunteers who have given so much of themselves to help
during this tragedy - some have given all.
I am a Rottweiler.
I was brought into this world by a loving breeder who has spent the last 30 years in loving dedication to my breed. I was trained by a
man or woman, who has been equally dedicated to my breed.
Over the last few years, you have gotten e-mails from people who said I was vicious, because criminal humans made less than 0.0001% of my
breed into criminal dogs. And because human parents never taught their children how to respect and stay
away from large animals of any kind.
You wanted my breeder to abandon her love and care of my breed. You wanted her to never make another dog like me. You
wanted to keep me in a small pen and make me wear a muzzle.
Some of you, wanted us all killed for no reason. I never growled
at a human. I never attacked a human. But you said I was a potential danger and I needed to be
destroyed.
You wanted the same done to my brothers and sisters in the working dog world. You came for the pit bulls, you came for the German
Shepherds, you came for the Dobermans, and you came for us, the Rottweilers.
Today I sat at my master's feet in NY. The master you said was crazy to want a Rottweiler. We cried, but kept on working.
You saw the sadness in my eyes. I was bred to work. I was trained to find. I search and I find. My reward is a scratch on
the head and maybe a hug from the person I find
Those I find who can't scratch my head - I cry.
My fellow searchers have lost their lives falling in this rubble. My feet are cut by glass
and metal. But my trainer and I keep searching. We are looking for your spouses, your children, your
parents, your friends, your coworkers and your neighbors. I am risking the life you
wished to deny me. I am doing what NO ONE else can. If I were not here, you would have no where else to turn for
help or hope.
When you see my trainer and I sleeping on the sidewalk or climbing over the mountain of rubble, because just one of your
human lives is important to me, look into my eyes and remember the sacrifice and
work that "dangerous" dogs like me have done for thousands of years and think about a world without me.
All I ask is let me live. Let my breeder continue to make it possible for dogs, like me, to give our lives for yours. In
disasters, in wars, and just protecting your homes and families, for thousands of
years to come.
Rescue International
This site offers information on training a search-and-rescue dog, disasters their crews have been part of, and upcoming
events and seminars. http://www.rescuenet.org/
Mr. Rivera and a little hero. (Photo: REUTERS / Caracol Tv)
New York resident Omar Eduardo Rivera was unfortunate enough to find himself on the 71st floor of the World Trade Center north tower when the hijacked airliner struck the building 25 floors above him. Mr. Rivera, a computer technician who is blind, was in his office with his guide dog "Dorado" lying under the desk at the time.
According to the Contra Costa Times report published today, Mr. Rivera described how he unleashed his faithful friend, so that the dog might escape. But despite the chaos and the crowds of fleeing people, the four-year-old Labrador Retriever suppressed any selfish instinct for survival and instead stayed by the man's side and guided him to safety.
Mr. Rivera describes the drama:
"I stood up and I could hear how pieces of glass were flying around and falling. I could feel the smoke filling up my lungs and the heat was just unbearable.
"Not having any sight I knew I wouldn't be able to run down the stairs and through all the obstacles like other people. I was resigned to dying and decided to free Dorado to give him a chance of escape. It wasn't fair that we should both die in that hell.
"I thought I was lost forever--the noise and the heat were terrifying--but I had to give Dorado the chance of escape. So I unclipped his lead, ruffled his head, gave him a nudge and ordered Dorado to go.
"I hoped he would be able to quickly run down the stairs without me and get to safety. I thought he'd be so scared he'd run. Everything was in chaos. Glass was shattering around my head and people were rushing past down the stairs."
At that point, Dorado was swept away by the rush of people fleeing down the stairs, and Mr. Rivera found himself on his own for several minutes amid the pandemonium. But then the unexpected occurred, in the form of a familiar, fuzzy nudge from knee-high.
Mr. Rivera explains, "He returned to my side a few minutes later and guided me down 70 flights and out into the street, it was amazing. It was then I knew for certain he loved me just as much as I loved him. He was prepared to die in the hope he might save my life."
Inside the egress stairwell, they found some additional assistance from a co-worker. "I took hold of her arm. She went down on my right side and the dog on my left," says Mr. Rivera.
The narrow stairwell was extremely crowded, and confusion exacerbated the situation. "People were pushing and shoving past me. Everywhere there was a sense of terror."
But according to the man, order gradually prevailed: "...most people behaved quite prudently and grasped what was happening, so we walked down in an orderly fashion, but it was slow going. It was slow going because there were so many people struggling to get out but Dorado kept nudging me down step by step."
It took more than an hour for Dorado, Mr. Rivera and his co-worker to descend those 70 flights of stairs. Not long after they had reached the ground and gotten to safety, the tower collapsed.
Says Mr. Rivera, "I owe my life to Dorado--my companion and best friend."
A lot of special dogs are helping out with the search and
rescue operations. One of the
stations covering the disasters reported that the dogs currently on the
scene were going through booties at an amazing rate. They were wrapping
burlap around the dogs feet/legs which was slowing things down
considerably. Requests are being made for booties. They stated to
"clearly" identify the packages as Rescue Dog Supplies and send to:
New York City Offices
c/o Search and Response
Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007
"If people were superior to animals, they'd take better care of the world."
~ Winnie the Pooh ~
"Bless the beasts and the children, for in this world they have no voice.
They have no choice"
Tired of Geek Speak when
you have Computer Questions?
Do you have PayPal yet? You Should.
Disclaimer:
Copyright notice - No infringement of any text or graphic copyright is intended. If you own the copyright to any original image or document used for the creation of the graphics or information on this site, please contact the Webmaster with all pertinent info so that proper credit can be given. If you wish to have it removed from the site, it will be replaced ASAP.
