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Earlier this year, a dog named Tsunami emerged as a beacon of hope. After two devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, the brave border collie joined the search and rescue efforts alongside his human Jorge Beens, founder of the local Disaster Response K-9 Team Training Center. After helping recover 25 survivors from the wreckage, Tsunami became a national hero, with people insisting he deserved a monument. Now, the city of Maracaibo has honored the trusty pup with his very own statue.
The sculpture was unveiled in the lakefront Vereda del Lago Park, where Tsunami was welcomed by hundreds of people before posing charmingly next to the statue. The artwork, titled Guardián de la esperanza (Guardian of Hope), was created by 17-year-old Venezuelan artist Josué Benjamín Figueroa. After first making a life-size sculpture as a tribute to Tsunami in the aftermath of the earthquake, Figueroa created a larger version, which is the one that is now being exhibited in Maracaibo.
“Maracaibo honors a true four-legged hero,” said Maracaibo Mayor Giancarlo Di Martino. “His service saved lives during the darkest times, both in Venezuela and on international missions in Turkey and Syria. Today, Vereda del Lago Park is home to a monument in his honor, so that thousands of families will always remember that, even in the face of adversity, hope and mutual aid always prevail.”
Tsunami’s life story is a reflection of his resilience. The dog was rescued by the Asociación Pro Defensa de los Animales (Aproa), an animal protection organization, which reported the dog had been abused and abandoned. Beens later decided to adopt and train him in urban search and rescue, aware of the scent tracking abilities of border collies.
After the unveiling ceremony, Tsunami and Beens paraded around the city on top of a firetruck, greeting the crowd that gathered on the streets to catch a glimpse of the world-famous dog and thank the pair for their work. While Tsunami and his human retired after the Venezuelan search and rescue efforts were finished, his home nation won’t ever forget what they did for them.
The city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, has honored Tsunami the search and rescue dog with a statue.
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The sculpture, titled Guardián de la esperanza (Guardian of Hope), was created by 17-year-old Venezuelan artist Josué Benjamín Figueroa.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
“Today, Vereda del Lago Park is home to a monument in his honor, so that thousands of families will always remember that, even in the face of adversity, hope and mutual aid always prevail.”
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Tsunami the dog: Instagram
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