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Guard of honour for rescue 9/11 rescue dog.

Fleawuss

I saw this on the net and my first reaction was WTF. A dog is brought to the vet to be put down at the end of its working life. It was a 9/11 rescue dog. 15 years later a guard of honour is given to a dog who has no idea of what it means. None of his or her relatives will either. Now first reactions aren't always the best but I want AH to look at this and tell me: have we gone doggone nuts? Has the US gone 9/11 nuts? What do you think of this? Deserved? Appropriate? Lunatics taking over the asylum?

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lawlolawl

We hate actual heroes in this country. Kick a ball around or something, however, and Irish people will call you a 'hero'.

Pathetic.

Honoring rescue animals/workers who actually save people lives is a very laudable thing.

MadsL

have we gone doggone nuts? Has the US gone 9/11 nuts?

Meanwhile in Ireland;

Military Honours in the form of Gun Salutes will consist of twenty-one guns, except in the case of a gun salute to the Blessed Sacrament, when a salute of 50 guns will be fired

http://www.military.ie/info-centre/df-ceremonial/

Jimoslimos

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Animals get treated like **** quite frequently, it's nice to see them being treated with some respect every now and again.

The answer to that is to spend more time and money on better welfare for mistreated and neglected animals, not pointless pomp and circumstance for actual well-treated dogs. Working dogs often have a more fulfilling and rewarding life than many "pets" who get abandoned for much of the day.

ScumLord wrote: »

Honoring the animals that benefit us has been a tradition that likely goes back to the earliest hunters, who would honor the animals they killed. I think it's something we should bring back, we should be honoring cattle in this country like we did in the past, without them we wouldn't be the same country.

What, like death notices so? Dunno, seems all a bit quasi-religious IMO. Ain't nobody got time for a minute silence of remembrance over a tasty rump steak.

McGruber wrote: »

Bullshiiiiiiiiiit!

If that dog saved at least one persons life during it's service, it's a hero in my book.

The dog may not be able to comprehend the importance of it's function but that's irrelevant.

If I was stuck under an overwhelming amount of rubble and debris, unconscious and unable to call for help. Id be delighted if there was a well trained rescue dog, whose purpose it was to detect me and hopefully, save my life.

As would you.

If it can't comprehend the importance then how can it be regarded as a "hero" (a much overused word anyway). For all the dog knew it may have just been another training exercise.

Yes if I was trapped I'd be delighted if there was a well-trained rescue dog to alert others to my presence. But I'd also be just as if not more appreciative at the number of man-hours (human ones you know) that went into training and handling the dog.

[Deleted User]

An American on Reddit put it best, and I paraphrase: "that dog's done more for America than I ever will."

100% deserves to be treated with as much honour and respect as they showed her on her way out.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Anyone here old enough to remember the stuffed Labrador dog in The Moving Crib, Parnell St (Dublin)?.

It was supposed to have rescued two drowning boys from the river Liffey.

Anyone remember him?.

Anyway to the OP. I thought it was a lovely way to honor the service the dog gave.

Poor, brave girl.

Two Tone

lawlolawl wrote: »

We hate actual heroes in this country.

We do?

AbusesToilets

Lets make fun of a society for honoring those who gave their lives to help others, be they human or otherwise.

Ireland, nuff said

RobbingBandit

South Park will have a field day with this. Hard to believe it will be 15 years this September since 9/11.

Two Tone

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Lets make fun of a society for honoring those who gave their lives to help others, be they human or otherwise.

Ireland, nuff said

Is that really an Irish thing?

Anyway, I love dogs but I can see where people of both biews are coming from - a guard of honour for an animal is a bit strange I think. There is a degree of anthropomorphism to it.

On the other hand, no harm in such a nice, fitting symbolic gesture for its own sake.

lawlolawl

Two Tone wrote: »

We do?

Yup. We do little or nothing to honour war dead as a nation. We constantly complain about EMTs/doctors/nurses being overpaid, useless, greedy etc.

But score a try or a point or whatever and we will call you a "hero" without a hint of irony about the fact that you are just playing a game.

Samaris

Er, maybe there's more to the story than that, but "the dog was brought to be put down at the end of its working life" and then given a guard of honour, etcetera.

At the end of its -working- life? Unless the dog was in pain or sick, could it not have a nice retirement with a good family? Surely someone would have taken her if she was that well-regarded.

Is that just awkward phrasing or am I justifiably bemused?

SEPT 23 1989

Samaris wrote: »

Er, maybe there's more to the story than that, but "the dog was brought to be put down at the end of its working life" and then given a guard of honour, etcetera.

At the end of its -working- life? Unless the dog was in pain or sick, could it not have a nice retirement with a good family? Surely someone would have taken her if she was that well-regarded.

Is that just awkward phrasing or am I justifiably bemused?

She looked fairly knackered looking walking up that path

End of life

Samaris

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

She looked fairly knackered looking walking up that path

End of life

Fair enough - my internet can't cope with videos at the moment so I was just going on the text.

HensVassal

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

Uhh, what?

I'm bitching about the overuse of the word "devastated" for every single bit of minor upset.

The handler ins't "devastated". He's probably sad.

stoneill

I dare say the dog earned the respect a whole lot more than some people.
And I would also say the handler is more than sad - mourning a loss of a loved pet is devastating.

padd b1975

Nobody does schmaltz quite like the Americans.

HensVassal

lawlolawl wrote: »

Yup. We do little or nothing to honour war dead as a nation. We constantly complain about EMTs/doctors/nurses being overpaid, useless, greedy etc.

But score a try or a point or whatever and we will call you a "hero" without a hint of irony about the fact that you are just playing a game.

Nobody is advocating that the dog not be appreciated but a guard of honour is just plain stupid. Typical American over-the-top, over-dramatic, nonsense. There are probably rescue dogs and guide dogs euthanised every other week in the US but this is just a publicity stunt to keep 9/11 fresh in the mind since it's starting to fade from memory.

maudgonner

Samaris wrote: »

Er, maybe there's more to the story than that, but "the dog was brought to be put down at the end of its working life" and then given a guard of honour, etcetera.

At the end of its -working- life? Unless the dog was in pain or sick, could it not have a nice retirement with a good family? Surely someone would have taken her if she was that well-regarded.

Is that just awkward phrasing or am I justifiably bemused?

It's awkward phrasing, the dog was retired from search & rescue a number of years ago. She continued to live with her handler and was put down due to bad health & old age, not because she was no longer useful.

Mr. CooL ICE

HensVassal wrote: »

The handler ins't "devastated". He's probably sad.

Is that so? I think you're wrong. Dog handlers entire job is based around working directly with a creature with emotions and personality and going by the dog's age, has probably been with him for 15+ years. It would be like losing a work colleague that is also a great friend.

If most people lost a work colleague whom they were immensely friendly with for 15 years, I highly doubt the emotion felt would just be a bit of sadness.

elastics

Jesus ... why are they killing him, couldn't they have brought him down to cousin hanks farm ?

Duggy747

It was just a gesture to show that they appreciated and valued an animal that was used in their line of work.

This dog in particular was the last remaining rescue dog of 9/11 but precincts do this quite a bit whenever their own police dogs are being put down, it's not an unusual thing for them to do.

osarusan

Wibbs wrote: »

Dogs can....understand a mirror is a reflection

Out of interest, when did this happen?

Dogs have been subjected to the mirror self-recognition test many times, but never 'passed' it to the best of my knowledge.

HensVassal

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

Is that so? I think you're wrong. Dog handlers entire job is based around working directly with a creature with emotions and personality and going by the dog's age, has probably been with him for 15+ years. It would be like losing a work colleague that is also a great friend.

If most people lost a work colleague whom they were immensely friendly with for 15 years, I highly doubt the emotion felt would just be a bit of sadness.

Then he's probably VERY sad. In fact, he's likely in the depths of despair. Why do people need to use the word "devastated" for people who have been bereaved or even for people who have experienced a slight emotional setback?

Superhorse

It's a bloody mutt for Christ sake. Don't get why they did it at all.

Lt Dan

Sergio Georgini wrote: »

An American on Reddit put it best, and I paraphrase: "that dog's done more for America than I ever will."

100% deserves to be treated with as much honour and respect as they showed her on her way out.

Yeah, working hard, contribution in raising his family and helping the community, paying tax, ah sure that is nothing right?

Some Americans can get incredibly soppy and emotional

DrumSteve

Lt Dan wrote: »

Yeah, working hard, contribution in raising his family and helping the community, paying tax, ah sure that is nothing right?

Some Americans can get incredibly soppy and emotional

The Vietnam war changed you man.

Lt Dan

lawlolawl wrote: »

Yup. We do little or nothing to honour war dead as a nation. We constantly complain about EMTs/doctors/nurses being overpaid, useless, greedy etc.

But score a try or a point or whatever and we will call you a "hero" without a hint of irony about the fact that you are just playing a game.

Do not honour the dead

Have you been missing for the last 6 months?

Even World War 1 & 2 dead (and subsequent members) get a special State Mass at Kilmainham Hospital at the end of the year. Every graveyard in the country where there is a sizable army presence in the towns have a lovely little part of the graveyard dedicated to dead members who served with the UN

Street names, bridges, barracks, railway stations, football stadiums are named after......................................

Sports does more for a nation than most politicians or agenda setters.

The National team under Charlton brought immense pride to Ireland despite not really winning that many games in tournaments. People like Barry McGuigan was able to UNITE people , North AND South , through his boxing. Our Rugby team has shown what can be done when the whole island sticks together. Northern Irish soccer team will surely be a feel good factor in the North - some might not be seen to follow them but bandwagons are bandwagons.

HensVassal

Sergio Georgini wrote: »

An American on Reddit put it best, and I paraphrase: "that dog's done more for America than I ever will."

100% deserves to be treated with as much honour and respect as they showed her on her way out.

Cringe-worthy.

Now change it so that it was a rescue dog working for the Irish Emergency services. If some sap came on and say "That dog's done more for Ireland than I ever will.", we'd be knee-deep in vomit.

Lt Dan

DrumSteve wrote: »

The Vietnam war changed you man.

Have you found Jesus yet, DrumSteve?

maudgonner

HensVassal wrote: »

Cringe-worthy.

Now change it so that it was a rescue dog working for the Irish Emergency services. If some sap came on and say "That dog's done more for Ireland than I ever will.", we'd be knee-deep in vomit.

I've never saved someone's life.

If the rescue dog had saved someone's life (or many people's lives even) then yes, I reckon they've contributed more to society than I have.