According to NY Daily News, Bretagne (pronounced Brittany), a 16-year-old golden retriever who was the last surviving September 11 search dog, was euthanized Monday June 6, 2016 at a Texas veterinary hospital, fire officials said.
On Monday, her owner and handler, Denise Corliss, told the Today Show that Bretagne had been experiencing kidney failure and had not eaten for three days.
Corliss said, “She was really anxious last night, and she just wanted to be with me. So I laid down with her, right next to her. When she could feel me, she could settle down and go to sleep. I slept with her like that all night.”
Denise Corliss and her husband Randy Corliss brought Bretagne to Fairfield Animal Hospital in Cypress, Texas, where the dog received a special salute from the Cy Fair Fire Department for her years of service. She then went to Texas A&M University in College Station where she will undergo an autopsy as part of a long-running study of 9/11 search dogs.
Last year, Bretagne celebrated her 16th Birthday in New York City thanks to BarkPost.
Thank you Bretagne for all your years of hard work and dedication. You will be missed.