In this Veterans Day episode of the Pets Add Life Podcast, hosts Chris Bonifati and Kristen Levine honor the animals who serve alongside us, from military working dogs and 9/11 search-and-rescue dogs to detection dogs working in airports and stadiums today. It’s an episode for anyone curious about working dogs, service animal history, and what makes a dog’s nose so powerful.
Chris kicks off story time with encouraging news from Penn Vet’s Working Dog Center and the AKC Canine Health Foundation. Researchers spent 25 years tracking 95 search-and-rescue dogs deployed to Ground Zero and the Pentagon after 9/11, along with 55 dogs that were never deployed. Despite fears that the dogs would face long-term health problems, as many human first responders do, the deployed dogs lived 12.7 years on average, compared to 12.8 years for the control group, a difference that was not statistically significant.
Kristen shares an update on the Canine Hero Act of 2026, a bill introduced by Wisconsin Congressman Derrick Van Orden. Because retired military and federal working dogs receive no pension or medical benefits, vet bills usually fall to their adopters. The bill would create a $5 million-a-year federal grant program through 2031 for nonprofits that care for retired federal working dogs.
Dr. Lucia Lazarowski, chief behavioral scientist with Auburn University’s Canine Performance Sciences Program, joins the show to explain what separates an elite working dog from the rest of the litter. She shares how early researchers can spot potential, how detection dogs learn to single out a single odor, and what everyday pet parents can borrow from working-dog science.
Sculptor Susan Bahary, founder and chair of the National Service Animals Monument, talks about three decades of honoring service animals in bronze, the 9/11 heroes recognized at this year’s Purple Poppy Awards, and her vision for a congressionally authorized monument in Washington, D.C.
The episode wraps up with two listener questions: why dogs need to sniff so much on walks, and how to help a rescue dog who’s nervous around men.
Special Guests:
Dr. Lucia Lazarowski, Chief Behavioral Scientist, Canine Performance Sciences Program, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Lucia Lazarowski explains that confidence and an enthusiasm to work are the two biggest traits she looks for in future working dogs, and that they can show up as early as three months old. She breaks down how detection dogs learn to focus on a single odor in busy places like airports, why roughly half of dogs in working programs don’t graduate, and why work-life balance matters for working dogs just as it does for people. She also shares why socialization and new experiences benefit every puppy, not just future detection dogs.
Susan Bahary, Sculptor & Founder and Chair of the National Service Animals Monument
Susan Bahary describes how creating Always Faithful, the nation’s first official war dog memorial, in 1994 changed the course of her career. She shares the many animals who have served the country, from horses, mules, and carrier pigeons to ship cats, dolphins, and sea lions, and recounts stories from this year’s Purple Poppy Awards, including 9/11 survivor Omar Rivera and his guide dog, Salty. She also outlines plans for the National Service Animals Monument, a $30 million effort to create a park-like memorial that teaches future generations about service animals and their handlers.
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