Merlyn a Search and Rescue Dog

It’s believed that some 40,000 people volunteered to help out at Ground Zero in the weeks and months following 9/11.

But it was a select group of first responders who caught the well-trained eye of Dutch photographer Charlotte Dumas the most: The nearly 100 trained search-and-rescue canines who canvassed the smoking World Trade Center pile and the Pentagon looking for those who survived and those who didn't.

Book Jacket of Retrieved

In her new book, Retrieved, Dumas pays homage to 15 of these pups, who she photographed across the country. The sampling of portraits in our slideshow are both tender and moving, particularly since most of these dogs are now retired and well into their twilight years.

Heroes like Bretagne and Moxie, who both put in time at Ground Zero, are pictured relaxing at home, but you can easily imagine them fearlessly heading into danger ten years ago with energy, determination and, most likely, a wagging tail.

To see our slideshow of images from the book, click here!