Ana (July 4, 1995 – November 12, 2008) was agolden retrieversearch and rescue dog, known for having been the first graduate of theNational Disaster Search Dog Foundation's training program.[1] Ana was one of the first search dogs to be deployed to the site of theWorld Trade Center following theSeptember 11 attacks.[2]
Ana was born to abackyard breeder, and proved to be too active to work as anassistance dog.Bonnie Bergin, the Executive Director of theAssistance Dog Institute, decided that Ana might be better suited as a search and rescue dog, and suggested her to Wilma Melville, the head of the Search Dog Foundation.[3][4] Ana was trained at akennel inGilroy, California, and, upon graduation, she was the first nationally certified Fire Department Disaster Search Canine and the first dog certified by the Search Dog Foundation.[5]
Ana was assigned to theSacramento, California Fire Department, where she was paired with fire captain Rick Lee.[4]
Besides the World Trade Center search, Ana and Captain Lee were involved in several other searches, including the sites of collapsed buildings in Sacramento,[6] and the aftermath ofHurricane Katrina.[7]
She was featured on a report onAnimal Planet,[8] and on theNational Geographic Channel'sDogs with Jobs.
Ana died of cancer in Captain Lee's arms.[citation needed]