09/10/2026
Hi, Dr. Julie here....as we remember the events of 9/11 tomorrow, I wanted to share a personal memory with you.
In the weeks that followed 9/11, as the victims were slowly and painstakingly identified, countless numbers of pets were rescued from their homes. These animals were inadvertently abandoned by circumstance, as their owners would never return. Some lingered for weeks with no food, no water and no human contact.
I will never forget "York", a young Labrador Retriever, that was brought to the animal hospital, where I was working, a few weeks after 9/11 by the people that had now become his new family. He was rescued days earlier from the apartment he shared with his owner who had never returned after leaving for work weeks earlier. He was completely emaciated, having not been fed for weeks. I don't think his tail stopped wagging during the entire visit. I was so touched by him and his amazing attitude in the face of such physical debilitation.
Animals never cease to amaze me. When I think of "York" and the countless other pets that not only endured the loss of their owners and the life/routine that they knew, only to then endure immense physical suffering associated with starvation and dehydration in the face of profound loneliness, their resilience amazes me.
I have been witness to the bravery and fortitude of animals throughout my career.
Animals are amazing❤️🇺🇸
