A Legacy Born at Ground Zero

Twenty-five years after 9/11, the search-and-rescue dogs who worked at Ground Zero and the Pentagon continue to shape how Penn Vet trains working dogs to save lives.

Cynthia “Cindy” Otto, DVM, PhD, DACVECC, DACVSMR, professor of working dog sciences and sports medicine, spent 10 days at Ground Zero caring for the canines deployed there by search-and-rescue teams in the aftermath of 9/11.

“I remember very distinctly on September 11, 2001, getting a phone call about the planes hitting the towers. We drove up with Pennsylvania Task Force 1. I spent 10 days at Ground Zero, taking care of the dogs that were working there,” said Dr. Otto. “The Working Dog Center really came from my experience at 9/11. We realized how important it was to understand the dog, and their health was first and foremost.”

Otto opened the Working Dog Center in 2012, on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11. In the years since, it has grown from a handful of puppies into a nationally recognized program that has trained more than 200 dogs, using an approach that integrates research on canine cognition, mobility, and scent detection to prepare dogs for careers in search and rescue, law enforcement, and medical detection.

Below, a look back at the Center’s origins, its growth, and the dogs and handlers who carry its mission forward:

A Decade of Advancing Working Dogs for the Greater Good (2022)

Inspired by her experience caring for working dogs at Ground Zero following 9/11, Working Dog Center Director Cindy Otto’s initial vision has grown into a thriving organization dedicated to using science to improve the breeding, training, care, and effectiveness of working dogs.

Two Decades Since 9/11: Penn Vet’s Working Dog Center Launches Tribute Video (2021)

Twenty years ago, Cindy Otto cared for search-and-rescue dogs at Ground Zero. That experience became the foundation for Penn Vet’s Working Dog Center.

Celebrating Five Years of Working Dogs at Penn (2017)

The Working Dog Center began with just a few puppies, and now, five years later, it has trained some of the best noses in the business. Canine graduates have gone on to police work, search and rescue, and explosives, narcotics, and diabetes detection.

On September 25, 2026, the Center will host “Innovations in Working Dog Health, Olfaction, and Performance”, the second installment of the “Past, Present, and Future” three-part lecture series commemorating Otto’s retirement in January 2027. To attend the virtual lecture, register here.

Penn Vet’s Working Dog Center improves the lives of working dogs and the people who rely on them. To learn more about the Center, click here.