A bronze statue has been unveiled in Maracaibo, Venezuela, to honor Tsunami, a nine-year-old Border Collie rescue dog credited with saving 26 lives following a major earthquake earlier this year. The statue depicts Tsunami wearing a rescue hat and features his distinctive blue eye, a result of heterochromia.
Tsunami and his handler, Jorge Beens, searched through extensive rubble in La Guarria after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck the country in June. The quakes caused widespread devastation, resulting in over 6,500 deaths, damage to 856 buildings, and the complete collapse of 190 properties. Approximately 226,700 people were injured or hospitalized.
The statue, titled 'Guardian of Hope,' was unveiled earlier this month. Locals reportedly wept during the ceremony, celebrating the canine's contributions. The Mayor of Maracaibo awarded Tsunami a Medal of Honour for Merit, and a mural has also been painted in his honor.
Rescue dogs like Tsunami are trained to detect human scent up to 10 meters beneath debris. They alert their handlers by barking at the strongest point of scent, a signal that initiates rescue efforts without further disturbing the rubble. Tsunami underwent specialized training at the K-SAR ECID Disaster Canine Training Center in Venezuela after being rescued himself from the streets of Caracas as a puppy.
In addition to his recent work in Venezuela, Tsunami is reported to have assisted in disaster response efforts in Syria and Turkey. He is now set to retire from his role as a disaster response specialist following his final mission in Venezuela.