Hazel, a dog in the Philippines, is held on a leash by her owner as she sniffs the rubble in a simulated search for survivors of the massive earthquake that occurred in the capital Manila.
Hazel is participating in a program that trains pet dogs and their owners to perform search and rescue operations in the event of a disaster.
Every Sunday, about 46 mutts and purebred dogs of various sizes are trained by volunteer trainers at a facility on the outskirts of Manila to learn how to spot people, climb ladders and tie themselves to wooden structures. Learn.
Philippine disaster authorities already have search and rescue dogs deployed when the archipelago is hit by disasters.
However, there are concerns that there will be a shortage if a major earthquake hits the vast metropolis of Manila.
Hazel was a skinny mutt before being adopted by her owner, Natalia Chua, but she doesn't have the pedigree of some of her classmates.
But she shows enough enthusiasm to follow instructions, searching through rubble, an overturned oil drum, and a small wooden hut.
When the 3-year-old spotted someone hiding in the drum, he barked and wagged his tail, earning cheers from his trainer and a back rub from Chua.
“My ultimate goal with Hazel is to be as prepared as possible in case a 'big earthquake' comes,” 17-year-old Chua told AFP, adding that he believes a major earthquake will someday hit the city. He mentioned that seismologists predict that there is a possibility.
Manila is vulnerable to earthquakes because it lies on the West Valley Fault and is close to the Manila Trench off mainland Luzon.
Seismologists believe either move could trigger a major earthquake in the city of more than 13 million people, killing tens of thousands of people.
The MMDA K-9 Corps volunteer group has trained approximately 700 pet dogs since starting the program in 2016.
The goal is to train at least 3,400 pet dogs in search and rescue across the city.
“Everyone knows that you really need to prepare for the 'big game,'” said Katrina Flores, 25, a trainer at a training facility owned by the government's Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. .
Hazel was malnourished and frightened when Chua found her on a family vacation in West Palawan in 2021.
Search and rescue training has made her calmer and more confident.
“She loves it,” Chua said. “Even if your dog doesn’t enjoy search and rescue, I think participating in this is a great opportunity to learn and bond with your dog.”
A minimum of 12 training sessions must be completed before a dog can be deployed in actual disaster response operations.
American chef John Hrynyak, 40, regularly takes his German shepherd, Ollie, to training sessions in the hope that he might one day save someone's life.
“We hope that when something happens, we will be there to help someone,” Hrynyak said.
“Every single life we can save is worth it.”
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