Three dogs with a nose for trouble graduate from Penn Vet Center [photos]

One can find people trapped in rubble. Another can sniff out illegal drugs. A third can detect when her owner’s blood sugar is dropping to dangerous levels.

The Penn Vet Working Dog Center graduated three important dogs Tuesday. They sat patiently through the ceremony, then demonstrated their amazing ability to sniff out trouble.

Bretagne, a two-year-old golden retriever, will be able to alert her new owner, Wayne Mowry, when his blood sugar reaches abnormal levels.  She is the center’s first diabetes alert dog. Bretagne was donated by Shorewood Retrievers and is named after one of many dogs deployed to the World Trade Center following the attacks on 9/11.

Morgan, a two-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, will be joining Trooper Brian Stanker at the New Jersey State Police Narcotic’s Detection K9 Unit in Atlantic City. Morgan was donated by Dogworks Kennels and named after a dog who was deployed to the Staten Island Landfill after the 9/11 attacks.

Thunder, a two-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever, will be joining Spring Pittore of New Jersey Task Force One. Thunder will provide advance search and rescue to victims trapped in collapsed buildings. Thunder was donated by TGK’s Nebraska Pointing Labs and named after a dog who was deployed to the Pentagon after the 9/11 attacks.

The Penn Vet Working Dog Center opened on Sept. 11, 2012, and has become the nation’s premier research and educational facility for dogs. It focus on the dogs’ unique scent strengths to uncover health issues in humans and to help with public safety. Bretagne, Morgan and Thunder were part of the center’s inaugural class of puppies in 2012.