A dog was pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building in Turkey, making them one of the rare canine survivors of a recent massive earthquake in the region that devastated people and dogs alike.
Dog Rescued From Earthquake Rubble
The earthquake ravaged Turkey’s central southern Gaziantep province. It measured 7.8 on the Earthquake Magnitude Scale with a 6.7-magnitude aftershock and other destructive aftershocks, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). NBC News reported that the quake killed more than 35,000 people and caused the collapse of numerous buildings.
Search and rescue teams were dispatched to the area, and they worked tirelessly to find survivors in the rubble. Five days after the devastating natural disaster, on Feb. 11, the dog was discovered alive in the wreckage of the deadly earthquake in Antakya, the capital of Hatay Province in Turkey.
Nurse Elif Polat is credited with finding the pup, who was trapped in a collapsed building. That the canine survived 138 hours in perilous conditions is nothing short of amazing.
“It was miraculous because we were removing debris and only dead bodies, and the dog was buried in the rubble with almost no gaps,” Polat said.
The team caught the rescue of the dog on camera. In a clip, the rescuers can be seen assisting the dog as it makes its way through a small hole among the ruins.
Rescued Dogs and Rescue Dogs
While this dog happened to be rescued, there are many canines who are rescuing others. An animal welfare organization called HAYTAP (First Animal Rights Federation of Turkey) offered to aid in the search for survivors of the earthquake with search dogs. That group was followed in its efforts by search dog teams from countries like Mexico and Ireland.
Unfortunately, being saved is only the first step. Finding people able and willing to care for dogs after a natural disaster is just as difficult, if not more so, as rescuing dogs from the rubble.
“There is no food, bird food, chicken feed or anything in any pet shop at the moment,” Csenay Tekinbas, a representative of HAYTAP, told the Associated Press.
You can help the rescue efforts by donating to organizations like Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and the International Federation of Red Cross, among others.
