Two golden retrievers from Thailand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) staff are starring in the international efforts following the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
The demise toll from the 7.8-magnitude quake and aftershocks that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6 rose to more than 41,000 on Wednesday, with tens of millions more lost or homeless in each nations.
Two Thai sniffer dogs – Sierra and Sahara – became social media celebrities after beginning their mission on Saturday in Hatay, a coastal Turkish province that borders Syria.
Sierra and Sahara come from the National Rescue Dog Organisation. Foundation director Alongkot Choukaew said the seven 12 months outdated Sierra and six yr old Sahara have been licensed by the International Rescue Dog Organisation.
The National Rescue Dog Organisation was based a yr after the tsunami hit Phuket in December 2004 and started working with USAR three years in the past. Sierra and Sahara have joined 40 human members of Thailand’s USAR staff in Turkey
The staff started with sniffer canines educated by international handlers a long time in the past. Those first-gen canines have now died of previous age. Sierra and Sahara arrived from Sweden six years ago as part of Thailand’s second technology of sniffer canines.
Alongkot said…
“We have educated these dogs since they were puppies consistent with IRO requirements. They have worked as sniffer canine for three years now.”
Comprehensive dropped below freezing in parts of the catastrophe zone, but Alongkot said individuals shouldn’t fear as Sierra and Sahara had been quite used to freezing temperatures as pups in Sweden.
Alongkot mentioned Thailand’s USAR staff presently has six sniffer dogs, four are on standby again home. Nine handlers are taking turns accompanying the canine in Turkey.
Alongkot said…
“International guidelines limit the time human rescuers can spend on search and rescue missions to 10 consecutive days.”
Safety shoes have been designed for canines to put on in disaster zones, designed to protect the canines from sharp objects as they search the rubble. They are worn only on their front paws, to guard them as they land after jumping. The risks have been underlined when a search canine from Mexico died after rubble collapsed on high of him in Turkey.
Alongkot stated the Thai USAR team will only deploy their sniffer canines as quickly as they’re confident the scenario is secure.
There is simply a slim chance of finding survivors seventy two hours after an earthquake, but the Thail team still has hope. Survivors were present in Syria after 5 days had handed. Sierra and Sahara hare educated to maintain nonetheless and listen for sounds from the rubble.
Alongkot…
“This obedience is a characteristic of golden retrievers.”