A very sad, sobering reminder at how short our loyal dogs lives really are.
— Kenn
Taz, the last active duty member of the NYPD K-9 unit to have worked at Ground Zero after 9/11, has died of cardiac arrest.
“He was the best partner I ever had,” heartbroken Officer Scott Ryan said of the nine-year-old German shepherd he worked with for almost a decade.
Taz and Ryan worked 12-hour days at Ground Zero after Sept. 11, 2001, performing rescue and recovery.
“All the dogs – they all knew what we wanted them to do and they did it,” Ryan said.
Taz, named for the Tasmanian Devil cartoon character, was also a beloved member of Ryan’s family.
“He was easygoing,” Ryan recalled. “We liked to have fun, but when it came to work, we did what we had to do.”
While many other dogs that worked 9/11 recovery died or retired, Taz stayed on the job up until he died Sunday.
The strong, 90-pound pooch started losing weight in early Septembe, bounced and then fell sick again a few weeks ago.
Doctors speculated he had lymphoma but cardiac arrest claimed him before he could have surgery. Ryan couldn’t say whether Taz’s death was 9/11-related.
“He was faithful,” Ryan said of his partner. “We had the utmost trust in each other.”
Click here for 9/11: The World Trade Center’s Heroic Rescue Dogs
So Sad, Thank you for all the hard work you did Taz (and Scott.) R.I.P. Furry-man. Now that you are going to wait for Scott at the rainbow bridge you can have all the play time you want.
why is there a big dark blue screen over top of every news story on here??
I'm guessing that you are using Internet explorer 6. It's the worst browser in existence. Update to IE8 or download the FItefox browser and you'll be fine.
I thank you Taz, you did such a good job. I hope you meet my dear Sloopy when you get to Heaven. He's already there so he can show you around. He likes to hand out with my dad so I'm sure you can hang out with them too. I'd love to meet you when I get there. God bless you.
I know!! It SUCKS, doesn't it!!
A LITTLE SOMETHING I WANT TO SHARE TO ALL DOG OWNERS FROM PATRICIA IN THE UK. IF IT SHOULD BE THAT I GROW WEAK AND PAIN SHOULD KEEP ME FROM MY SLEEP, THEN YOU MUST DO WHAT SHOULD BE DONE FOR THIS LAST BATTLE CANT BE WON. YOU WILL BE SAD I UNDERSTAND DONT LET YOUR GRIEF THEN STAY YOUR HAND,FOR THIS DAY MORE THAN ALL THE REST YOUR LOVE FOR FOR ME MUST STAND THE TEST. WE,VE HAD SO MANY HAPPY YEARS WHAT IS TO COME CAN HOLD NO FEARS,YOU,D NOT WANT ME TO SUFFER SO THE TIME HAS COME PLEASE LET ME GO. TAKE ME WHERE MY NEEDS THEY TEND, AND STAY WITH ME TILL THE END, HOLD ME FIRM AND TALK TO ME UNTILL MY EYES NO LONGER SEE. I KNOW IN TIME THAT YOU WILL SEE THE KINDNESS THAT YOU DID FOR ME, ALTHOUGH MY TAIL ITS LAST HAS WAVED FROM PAIN AND SUFFERING IV,E BEEN SAVED. PLEASE DO NOT GRIEVE IT MUST BE YOU WHO HAS THIS PAINFULL THING TO DO, WEV,E BEEN SO CLOSE US TWO THESE YEARS. DONT LET YOUR HEART HOLD BACK IT,S TEARS
i am in tears now thinking of all of my doggys ive lost and i do hope that you do not mind me sharing
this with you
hi
What a True “Hero” indeed…
God Bless You “TAZ” & may you rest comfortably as you cross the Rainbow Bridge…
So Sorry for your loss Officer. Just draw your mind back to the wonderful memories that you two shared over the years. Be Thankful for the time you did have with him…
WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT…enter ye into my kingdom!!!! Sorry for your terrible loss.
9/11 Nukes – Radiation-induced cancers …
Watch this video …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7FNGWsjj_Y
Have a good trip on the Rainbow Bridge where you can find all of your pals you worked with after 9/11. We humans are much better because you were here with us.