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 death toll from the 7.8-magnitude quake and aftershocks that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6 rose to more than forty one,000 on Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands extra misplaced or homeless in each countries.
Two Thai sniffer canines – 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 stated the seven 12 months previous Sierra and six yr old Sahara were certified by the International Rescue Dog Organisation.
The National Rescue Dog Organisation was based a 12 months after the tsunami hit Phuket in December 2004 and started working with USAR three years in the past. Sierra and Sahara have joined forty human members of Thailand’s USAR staff in Turkey
The team started with sniffer canine skilled by overseas handlers many years ago. Those first-gen dogs have now died of previous age. Bizarre and Sahara arrived from Sweden six years in the past as part of Thailand’s second generation of sniffer canines.
Alongkot said…
“We have skilled these canine since they had been puppies consistent with IRO standards. They have labored as sniffer canine for three years now.”
Temperatures dropped below freezing in elements of the catastrophe zone, however Alongkot said folks shouldn’t fear as Sierra and Sahara had been quite used to freezing temperatures as pups in Sweden.
Alongkot mentioned Thailand’s USAR group presently has six sniffer canine, 4 are on standby again house. Nine handlers are taking turns accompanying the canines in Turkey.
Alongkot said…
“International rules limit the time human rescuers can spend on search and rescue missions to 10 consecutive days.”
Safety sneakers have been designed for canines to put on in catastrophe zones, designed to protect the canine from sharp objects as they search the rubble. They are worn solely on their entrance paws, to protect them as they land after jumping. The risks had been underlined when a search canine from Mexico died after rubble collapsed on top of him in Turkey.
Alongkot said the Thai USAR group will only deploy their sniffer canines once they are confident the situation is safe.
There is only a slim probability of finding survivors 72 hours after an earthquake, however the Thail staff nonetheless has hope. Survivors were present in Syria after 5 days had handed. Sierra and Sahara hare skilled to keep still and hear for sounds from the rubble.
Alongkot…
“This obedience is a attribute of golden retrievers.”