Badge #17: The Four-Legged Heroes of Ground Zero
- Dana at Vibe Tours
- Apr 30
- 3 min read
When you stand at the National September 11 Memorial, the story usually stays at eye level. You see the scale of the North and South pools, the architecture of the Oculus, and the names of the 2,977 victims.
But some of the most profound stories of survival and sacrifice happened closer to the ground. They belong to the 300+ search and rescue (SAR) dogs who worked "The Pile." From Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) K9s to volunteer Labradors, these animals provided the hope—and the noses—that defined the recovery.
Sirius: The PAPD K9 Who Stayed Behind (Badge #17)
The only police K9 killed in the September 11 attacks was Sirius, a four-year-old Yellow Labrador. Assigned to the Port Authority Police Department, Sirius and his partner, Officer David Lim, were in their basement office in the South Tower when the planes hit.
Thinking a bomb had exploded, Lim secured Sirius in his kennel, saying, “I’ll be back for you,” while he went to assist with the evacuation. Lim famously survived the collapse in Stairwell B of the North Tower, but Sirius was lost.
Where to find his memorial: Sirius is honored inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Near the First Responders gallery, you can find his Badge #17 and his training leash.
The Honors: In 2002, when his remains were recovered, he was carried out of Ground Zero with a full Honor Guard, acknowledging his status as a fallen officer.
The Sirius Dog Run: is located at 385 S End Ave (at Kowsky Plaza) in Battery Park City, New York, NY 10280. The run is named in honor of the only police K-9 killed in the 9/11 attacks
Trakr: Finding the Last Survivor at Ground Zero
By the night of September 12, 2001, hope of finding survivors was nearly gone. That was until Trakr, a German Shepherd from Canada, alerted his handler to a specific point in the smoking debris.
Because of Trakr’s alert, rescuers located Genelle Guzman-McMillan. She had been trapped for 27 hours and would be the last survivor pulled from the rubble alive. Trakr proved that even in the most high-tech rescue operation in history, nothing could replace the biological precision of a dog’s nose.
The Guide Dogs: Roselle and Salty
While the search dogs were moving into the site, two others were doing something just as critical: getting their humans out.
Roselle, a Labrador, was under her owner’s desk on the 78th floor of the North Tower when the plane hit. Her owner, Michael Hingson, is blind. Roselle didn’t panic. She stood up, oriented herself, and began the descent.
Down 1,463 stairs. Through jet fuel smoke, intense heat, and a building that was failing. At one point, when Hingson began to stumble, Roselle stopped—not to rest, but to steady him. They made it out just minutes before the tower collapsed.
On the 71st floor, another Lab named Salty was doing the same for his handler, Omar Rivera. When a colleague offered to take Rivera’s arm so they could move faster, Salty refused to leave his side. He stayed. He guided. He was the "eyes" that saved a life that day.
The Psychological Toll: The "Fake Finds"
Search and rescue dogs are hardwired for success. When the dogs at Ground Zero began finding only remains, they became visibly depressed.
To keep their spirits up, handlers and firefighters staged “fake finds.” They would hide in the rubble so the dogs could "discover" a living person. These "wins" were the only thing that kept the dogs—and their handlers—from giving up in the face of total devastation.
The Vibe NYC Perspective
At Vibe NYC Tours, we believe the "dignity of the site" is found in these smaller, human (and animal) moments.
— Dana, Vibe NYC
