9-11 dog wins insurance reprieve

[shais_mom]

If this is a duplicate thread I can delete this one:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/07/19/bear.insurance/index.html

[Logan]

I hadn't seen this, Staci. Thanks for sharing this story. I can't imagine that a 12 year old Golden would have been used in this situation. But it seems that Bear was up to the task.....at least for the time he was needed. I hope that the effort hasn't shortened his life. But 12 is old for a Golden, unfortunately. What a worthwhile task he has performed.

I hope he will be ok for a while to come. Here's hoping. :)

Logan

[tatsxxx11]

Thanks Staci! I saw this last night on the news and again this morning! What a beautiful "Bear" of a boy he is. A real hero!! Thanfully, with hindsight, (:rolleyes:) the insurance company has reversed their decision! Take care and enjoy your retirement, Bear! Hopefully you will enjoy many more happy days with your Dad!!:)

[Freckles]

Now, what about the other four? Seems to me they should have the same consideration.

[mugsy]

I'm with you Freckles...that was my immediate thought. Isn't it convenient that the insurance company reversed its decision AFTER the story was released to the media?? How much more obvious did they have to be?

He's a beautiful boy and I hope he recovers and doesn't suffer. He is truly one of the 9/11 heroes.

[shais_mom]

Speaking of 9-11 dogs, I just received my latest issue of Dog Fancy and there is an article about Canine heros from 9-11. Haven't read it yet.

[shais_mom]

I read the article in Dog Fancy and it is wonderful. Did you know that a rat Terrior Ricki was used as a search dog? His owner/handler had used other purebreeds but 'was heartbroken' over their health problems. She saw a Rat Terrior on the front of DOG FANCY and knew that was the dog she wanted to work with. She rescued Ricki from a shelter. He worked the night shift while paired with another cadaver dog where they found half a dozen uniformed workers.

What really touched me was how they preluded the article.
I quote "Here we profile a handful of the many dogs involved in the events of Sept 11, and explore their heroic homecomings to a changed world. For each one, hundreds will go unnamed but never unappreciated. And to that list we can add the names of our own dogs, who might have been far away from the smoke and the terror, but who sat at our sides, wagging their tails in perpetual optimism, as we turned in tears from the television reports of death and destruction."

It made me think of Shaianne, she is an unnamed hero also. At least to me, she died 2 days after the WTC tragedy and it helped me in thinking that she went to heaven to be with those children and people that died. She left me to comfort them. Tho I needed her comfort also, God had a bigger plan for her. Now that her job is done, she is continually comforting those that cross, she hopefully will walk my loved ones across the bridge and then come back and wait for me, so we can cross that bridge along with Keegan, and Kylie and any future brothers or sisters she might have together.

[Freckles]

Local mag racks only have the Aug. issue and I couldn't find it.

[Dixieland Dancer]

What a wonderful ending regardless of what prompted them to change their minds. It is a gift that I would welcome in a heart beat. Especially after having such a wonderful success rate at ground zero it is necessary to honor our heros in such a way.

[shais_mom]

Yes it is the new issue, The Sept 2002 issue.

[kohala]

I had seen the newscast last night, right after a long spiel about fund monies being divied up among the survivors of WTC victims. They were hi-liting one family who will get a substantially larger settlement than others based on the deceased's earnings potential (as I understood the bit I saw). I have no problem with them getting a settlement, or the sincerity of their grief and suffering - but Bear's story following made me pauuse and wonder who makes these calls and how can you place one above the other? I realize these were different issues, one being a fund, the other being insurance. However, life deals many great equalizing events, no matter how hard it is to accept. No dog should go untreated, and after settling people's outstanding debts (perhaps?) no one person or family should be deemed to deserve a better financial jump start than another.
Sorry if I got a little off topic, but I felt it related.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Great Story, Leslie!

I do not see why an Insurance company would turn down a SAR dog regardless of health problems. But, I am glad to see that Bear will be taken care of. He is a precious and sweet looking dog!

[purrley]

MAN!!!! Insurance Companies are all alike. They just try like hell to get out of paying!!! But they sure want their premiums don't they!!!!