A dog who suffered abuse and abandonment in the past has become a hero in Venezuela thanks to his work helping find survivors among the ruins of collapsed buildings following this week’s deadly earthquakes.
International outlets have described the dog, a border collie named Tsunami, as a symbol of hope in the aftermath of Wednesday’s deadly doublet earthquake that caused widespread devastation in Venezuela.
Tsunami’s hard work has so far reportedly resulted in the successful rescue of over 12 survivors of Wednesday’s earthquakes in Venezuela as of Thursday.
The Colombian magazine Semana detailed that Tsunami is part of a local search and rescue team working to find survivors. Jorge Beens, founder and director of the Venezuelan canine search and rescue organization K-Sar Ecid, detailed to the magazine that Tsunami faced dramatic adverse situations in his youth. The dog was rescued years ago from an abusive household.
After receiving care, veterinary treatment, and undergoing a recovery process for the abuse he suffered, Tsunami underwent specialized training that allowed the dog to develop skills for search and rescue operations. Semana explained that over time the dog “demonstrated outstanding abilities to detect people and work in complex situations.”
His keen sense of smell and training allows the canine to inspect hard-to-reach areas in the rubble of collapsed buildings in Venezuela where survivors could be trapped.
“The history of Tsunami has also allowed us to reflect on the importance of the adoption and recovery of animals that are victims of abuse,” Semana noted. “What was once a vulnerable dog in need of help, today has become an example of the positive impact that the care, patience and commitment of those who work for animal welfare can have.”
Footage of Tsunami’s labor in the ongoing rescue operations in Venezuela has gone viral on social media over the past hours, with international outlets such as the Argentine newspaper La Nación reporting on his life-saving heroic actions.
According to the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, Tsunami was deployed on Wednesday night during a search and rescue operation at Residencias Rita, a collapsed apartment building in Caracas’ San Bernardino neighborhood.
Tsunami’s efforts reportedly led to the successful rescue of a roughly 60-year-old man who remained trapped in the rubble for about six hours after the earthquakes occurred on Wednesday evening.
Speaking with El Espectador, Beens detailed that Tsunami was once deployed on a Venezuelan humanitarian task force to Turkey in the aftermath of the February 2023 earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria.
Footage shared by Venezuelan journalist Orlando Avendaño on Friday morning showed Tsunami resting after an operation and receiving care by Beens and Venezuelan veterinarian Aníbal Hurtado.
“Tsunami has been working tirelessly over the last few hours to respond to this national emergency. First, we’re going to rehydrate him. We’re going to give him a muscle relaxant so that he can start recovering while his handlers rest,” Hurtado explains in the video.
“So far, he seems to be in great physical shape. We don’t see any significant issues despite his physical exhaustion, but he’s a dog trained for this, so we’re confident he’ll continue to help out,” he continued.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.