Most years, Apollo would never make it to the Westminster dog show.
He’s getting a bit gray in the muzzle, his teeth are yellowing and he’s slowing down. Not at all like the 2,500 perfectly primped pooches at America’s most prestigious canine competition.
Come Monday night, though, the 10-year-old German shepherd from the New York Police Department will stand proudly in the center ring at Madison Square Garden.
Apollo, will be among a dozen search and rescue dogs honored in a tribute to their work at the World Trade Center and Pentagon following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Apollo, who was at ground zero 15 minutes after the attack, became engulfed in flames but had just emerged from a pool of water and did not catch on fire.
“The first thing we thought was, `How are we going to recognize these dogs?”‘ show Chairman Thomas Bradley said. “Being here in New York, we thought this was the way to do it.”
Lt. Daniel Donadio, head of the NYPD’s canine unit, was surprised and honored that Westminster called.
“But let’s remember, it’s all about the dogs,” he said. “And don’t forget, they’re still there at ground zero, working every day to recover bodies.”
Say what?
`We’re burgundy. That other school is not burgundy.’
–Coach Steve Spurrier on the new Redskins uniforms, complete with spear and feather on the helmet, which resemble those worn by Florida State
