Trakr, a German shepherd who lives with his owner James Symington in Los Angeles, was picked by BioArts International as the most ‘clone-worthy’ canine in a competition offering an owner a free chance to replicate their pet.

Symington said he and Trakr were among the first search and rescue teams to arrive at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks, and were responsible for locating the last human survivor under about nine meters of debris.

Now aged 15, the dog no longer has use of his back legs due to a degenerative neurological disorder. According to BioArts, experts believe the condition may be linked to exposure to toxic smoke at the World Trade Center site.

"Trakr means the world to me," Symington said. "To know that part of him is going to live on is just beyond words.

It's the greatest gift I've ever received."