September 11 was not only a time to honor the human heroes, but the animals who serve and protect us every day.

Earlier this month, the American Humane Association paid tribute to the the hero dogs of 9/11 during a New York gala.

Whoopi Goldberg, who gave a special presentation and Animal Planet’s Victoria Stilwell, attended the event.

Founder of Dog Files, Kenn Bell, presented his short documentary of “9/11 Hero Dogs.”

Photographs by photo-essayist Charlotte Dumas, whose portfolio of heroic dogs recently appeared in The New York Times, was also at the event.

MRB Productions incorporated interviews with first-responders into a special video presentation and James P. Moran, Chair of the Federal Congress Animal Protection Caucus, congratulated American Humane Association for being a good friend to animals.

Dogs played a vital role during in the response to the attacks. American Humane Association Red Star Animal Emergency Services teams provided a mobile veterinary clinic to aid injured and displaced pets and NYPD K-9 units.

K-9 recovery teams helped rescuers search the huge piles of rubble and bring closure to grieving families.

“American Humane Association has been working for 134 years to protect children and animals—the most vulnerable among us — from harm, abuse and neglect,” said Robin R. Ganzert, President and CEO of the organization. “On 9/11 we were all vulnerable. Heroic dogs gave us their special skills and used their special senses in service to values that define American Humane Association and bind us as Americans: a reverence for all life and compassion that can create a kinder world.”

On October 1st, the Hallmark Channel will air a 90-minute broadcast featuring two 9/11 first responders, Lt. David Lim whose bomb-detection dog, Sirius, died that day in the attack.

It will also feature Rachel McPherson, CEO of the Good Dog Foundation, whose dog, Fidel, served as an Animal-Assisted Therapy dog to bereaved families.