This dog worked 18 hours a day to look for survivors during 9/11: The story of Apollo

Apollo, an NYPD German Shepherd, arrived at Ground Zero 15 minutes after the South Tower collapsed. He narrowly survived falling flames and spent nearly 18 hours a day searching for survivors after the 9/11 attacks.

In Short

• Apollo, a German Shepherd, was first search-and-rescue dog at South Tower collapse
• Apollo worked nearly 18 hours daily amid smoke and unstable debris
• Apollo received Dickin Medal in 2002 and died in 2006, remembered as hero

When the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001, rescue workers rushed towards Ground Zero. Among the first to arrive was Apollo, a German Shepherd from the New York Police Department's K-9 Urban Search and Rescue Team.

Apollo and his handler, Pete Davis, arrived at the South Tower just 15 minutes after it collapsed, making them the first search-and-rescue dog team on site after the attacks.

A NARROW ESCAPE FROM FALLING FLAMES

The search was dangerous from the very beginning. As Apollo worked through the debris, flames and burning rubble fell around him. At one point, Apollo nearly lost his life to falling flames and debris.

By a stroke of luck, he was soaking wet after falling into a pool of water earlier. The water helped save him when flames and debris fell around him. His handler brushed the debris off, and Apollo went straight back to work.

SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS FOR 18 HOURS A DAY

Apollo and other rescue dogs worked amid smoke, dust, fire, and unstable debris as they searched the ruins of the World Trade Center.

The German Shepherd and his handler spent nearly 18 hours each day searching for survivors, as reported by Fox 10 Phoenix. Apollo continued to work diligently until he showed signs of extreme exhaustion and required treatment.

Apollo had already built an impressive career before 9/11. He graduated from the NYPD Canine Special Operations Division when he was two years old and worked with the first NYPD K-9 Urban Search and Rescue Team. He was also one of New York City's top dogs throughout the 1990s, according to Dip’n Dogs.

A MEDAL FOR THE DOGS OF 9/11

Apollo's courage and contribution did not go unnoticed. On March 5, 2002, he received the Dickin Medal, often described as the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, on behalf of all search-and-rescue dogs who assisted in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, as reported by Doggie Dailies.

Apollo died in November 2006, but his story remains a reminder of the role played by search-and-rescue dogs at Ground Zero. While rescue workers searched tirelessly through the rubble, Apollo was right beside them, spending long hours looking for signs of life.

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