Bretagne, the last known Sept. 11, 2001 canine hero, has recently passed away.
According to reports, the golden retriever--whose name is pronounced "Brittany"--had kidney failure resulting to various complications. In an interview, her owner, Cy-Fair volunteer firefighter Denise Corliss, recalled how her last night with Bretagne went.
"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," Corliss told TODAY on Monday.
The 16-year-old golden retriever, as stated in a statement from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, was euthanized on Monday at a veterinary clinic in Fairfield Animal Hospital in Cypress, Texas.
Representatives from Texas Task Force 1, the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department and other agencies gave her a special send-off, paying respect by saluting the ailing dog, as she entered the clinic with her owner.
Bretagne's body was draped in an American flag as she departed from the building. She will be sent to Texas A&M University where veterinarians could evaluate how the Ground Zero affected her body, NY Daily News reported.
Bretagne was also part of the search team that responded to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ivan and other disasters. She retired from active duty at age 9 but remained as ambassador for search and rescue dogs in retirement.
According to ABC News, Bretagne was nominated for a Hero Dog Award from the American Humane Association in 2014.
On Sept. 11, 2001, thousands of lives were lost after a series of terrorist attacks were launched by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaida in the United States. During one of America's most ill-fated times, at least 300 search dogs lent their helping paws to search for possible survivors.
Amid the debris and rubble, these hero canines devoted their time to use their sniffing power to save lives.