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Hero Dogs Retire After Saving Lives in Venezuela Quake
5 Jul
Summary
- Canine rescuers located people trapped for days under collapsed buildings.
- Tsunami, a mixed-breed border collie, saved 25 lives in his final mission.
- Search-and-rescue dogs from over 20 countries aided relief efforts.
Specialized search-and-rescue dogs have been instrumental in Venezuela's earthquake relief efforts, locating survivors trapped for days beneath collapsed structures. These highly trained canines, deployed by teams from over 20 countries, worked alongside human first responders.
Tsunami, a mixed-breed border collie with distinctive heterochromia, completed his final mission by saving 25 people. The dog's retirement was celebrated as he concluded his service at the peak of his capabilities.
Other notable canine heroes include Bart, a Belgian Malinois from Argentina, who rescued two children and recovered six bodies. Rambo, a Belgian Malinois with the El Salvador USAR team, alerts rescuers by barking when a survivor's scent is detected.
Mali, a member of Mexico's International Topos Rescue Brigade, found a Maltese dog alive and helped locate six bodies. Numerous other dogs from various nations, including Colombia, Slovakia, Spain, Jordan, Portugal, and the Czech Republic, participated in the round-the-clock operations.
During a ceremony in La Guaira, the dogs were awarded the title of "Venezuela's Canine Heroes" by the nation's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez. These four-legged heroes have undoubtedly turned tales of disaster into stories of survival.
