Sept. 11 rescue dog becomes part of new effort to save people.

Byline: Nikki Waller

MIAMI _ Three years ago, Mizu the rescue dog helped search for bodies in the smoldering remains of the World Trade Center.

There at ground zero, Mizu, who works for Miami-Dade (Fla.) Fire Rescue, spent two weeks sniffing the rubble for signs of survivors _ or their remains.

Now Mizu, a 9-year-old German shepherd, is participating in a scientific study on the effects of inhaling the asbestos-laden cloud of gases and dust that covered Lower Manhattan after the attack.

The results of the study could save human lives. Since the dogs did not have masks to protect them, and since their metabolism works faster than people's, scientists are monitoring the animals to see if they develop any illnesses because of their exposure.

If they do, it may provide an early warning of problems that would only show up in humans years later.

"Dogs live a more compact life than humans. Their hearts beat faster, there's more packed into those years," said Kurt Iverson, a spokesman for dog-food manufacturer Iams, one of the study's sponsors. "What happens to them gives us an indication in what humans can expect down the line."