The last living 9/11 rescue dog had the best birthday ever in NYC

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Meet Bretagne: The Last Surviving 'Ground Zero' Dog
Meet Bretagne: The Last Surviving 'Ground Zero' Dog


This 9/11 rescue dog just celebrated her Sweet 16 and, yes, her party was better than yours.

On first glance, Bretagne looks like your average, run-of-the-mill, adorable golden retriever. But Bretagne is quite a hero -- she is the last living 9/11 rescue dog. Recently Bretagne returned to the city where she started her career, but this time on much happier terms - to celebrate her birthday!

Bretagne first came to New York City on September 11, 2001 to help with rescue efforts after the terrorist attacks in the city. The dog and her owner, Denise Corliss, have had an unbreakable bond ever since that mission, according to the Bark Post. Both were members of Texas Task Force 1, which assisted in search and rescue mission after September 11th and Hurricane Katrina.

The pair joined almost 100 other search and rescue dogs to locate and save bodies in the rubble of the World Trade Center.

"When our task force arrived in Ground Zero, I just couldn't believe the magnitude," Corliss said. "And I looked down at her, and she seemed stoic and ready to work," Corliss told ABC7 News.

%shareLinks-quote="After hearing of Bretagne's heroic career, they couldn't pass up the opportunity to throw the 9/11 rescue dog the sweetest of sixteens." type="spreadWord"%

"There was no question in our minds that she deserved a Dog's Best Day for the ages," the website writes.



The Bark Post coordinated a trip and flew Bretagne out to New York City where they showered her with celebrations and gifts that included a stay in a luxury hotel, chauffeured rides around town, a run in the Hudson Park, a specially-made doggy birthday cake and she even got to see her name in lights on a billboard in Times Square!

More from AOL.com:
Photos: A portrait of the 9/11 rescue workers
Rescue dog saves owner suffering from massive heart attack
Chopper the Biker Dog loses therapy dog license

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