Jake, The Black Lab Who Helped After 9/11 And Hurricane Katrina
Public DomainJake and his handler, Mary Flood, who remembers him as a “morale booster” and food lover.
Jake was a black Labrador retriever who was adopted at 10 months old by his owner and handler, Mary Flood. Though he was initially found abandoned on the streets with a dislocated hip and a broken leg, Jake recovered and went on to live a long life in which he helped countless people.
Not only did Jake work as a 9/11 rescue dog as part of Utah Task Force 1, but he also helped in search efforts following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“Against all odds he became a world-class rescue dog,” Flood said, according to a 2007 Associated Press report.
Flood trained Jake to become one of fewer than 200 rescue dogs certified by the U.S. government, meaning he was effectively on call to respond to sudden emergencies at all times. So, when the Twin Towers fell, Jake was there. When Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana, Jake was there. He also worked as a therapy dog, helping survivors cope with the horrific experiences they had gone through.
“He was a great morale booster wherever he went,” said Flood. “He was always ready to work, eager to play — and a master at helping himself to any unattended food items.”
Unfortunately, Jake’s work took a physical toll on him. He died from cancer at age 12, and the disease may have developed due to breathing in the air at Ground Zero. His autopsy later became part of a study on the effects of the toxic debris on the 9/11 rescue dogs.
