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Mexican Red Cross dogs join continental search and rescue effort in Venezuela

MND Staff
By MND Staff
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Querétaro canines Orly, Balam, Kenai and Halley, who traveled to Venezuela on Saturday as part of the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team
Querétaro canines Orly, Balam, Kenai and Halley, who traveled to Venezuela on Saturday as part of the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team. (@SRE_mx/X)

Mexican Red Cross rescue dogs have departed for Venezuela to join the search for survivors after two devastating earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale hit the South American country on June 24.

The most recent cohort includes Querétaro canines Orly, Balam, Kenai and Halley, who traveled to Venezuela on Saturday as part of the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team specializing in search in collapsed structures. 

The dogs join a team of 18 canine heroes dispatched along with 250 Mexican troops following the earthquakes that have resulted in at least 1,400 deaths and more than 3,200 injuries. 

Other countries from the region, including Colombia, Argentina and El Salvador, have also dispatched canine teams to join the search and rescue operations in Venezuela. 

Trained dogs are a fundamental part of search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of natural disasters, as they are able to detect human scent at long distances, even when they’re covered by large amounts of concrete and debris. This ability surpasses the speed of human personnel and even some technological equipment trained for the same task.

Despite their expertise, rescue dogs are also vulnerable to injuries. Max, one of Mexico’s search and rescue dogs, suffered an accident in an area of ​​collapsed structures and was temporarily removed from the operation to receive specialized medical attention. 

Together with his trainer, identified as Fénix, Max entered high-risk areas to search for people trapped under rubble.  

Before the accident, local media reported that the Mexican dog helped locate seven people, including two minors, who were rescued thanks to the coordinated efforts of the emergency teams. 

Mexican military joins Venezuela earthquake search and rescue operations: Friday’s mañanera recapped

Max, who is currently on bed rest, also helped locate and rescue three dogs. 

Mexico has gained international recognition for its skilled rescue dogs, who have historically assisted in natural disasters around the world. Just in 2023, Orly and Balam earned a medal from the H. Fire Department of San Juan del Río after rescuing four people and locating 36 bodies in the aftermath of a 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. 

With reports from El Financiero, E-Consulta, La Lista and El Espectador  

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