In response to Bear's heroic deeds, the New Yor City law firm of Proskauer ' Rose established The Bear Search and Rescue Foundation. The foundations goals are to provide instruction in emergency management to search and rescue teams around the country, to help equip these teams, and to provide free air transport for training and to emergencies where possbile. Bear and his dad, as handler Captain Scott Shields calls himself, led the first search and rescue teams at Ground Zero shortly after the second 110-story tower collapsed on 9/11. Bear is credited with finding the most victims during those first days, including FDNY Chief Peter Ganci and First Deputy Fire Commissioner William Feehan. Bear is also credited with having made the only live finds by a dog.
