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Mexico's famous search and rescue dogs have flown to Turkey and Syria to help locate those still trapped under the rubble after Monday's 7.8 magnitude earthquake that has left 11,000 dead.
A plane carrying 16 specialist rescue dogs took off from Mexico City on Tuesday, according to the BBC, with many of the four-legged heroes already clad in their iconic goggles and booties, according to Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard.
"The heart of our rescue team is currently flying to Turkey," Ebrard said, as per CNN.
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Also on board the flight were search and rescue experts from the Mexican army, members of the Mexican navy, and 'five foreign ministry officials and 15 members of the Red Cross' a government press release stated.
The crack team of canines are renowned in Mexico for their incredible abilities when disaster strikes, with the Central American nation prone to earthquakes just like Turkey and Syria.
The darling doggos captured the hearts of Mexicans after the nation's quake, when they saved the lives of dozens of people trapped under crumbled remains of buildings.
Frida, a yellow Labrador Retriever, gained international acclaim for saving over 50 lives in her operations across multiple nations in the wake of natural disasters.
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She passed away last year after retiring with honour, however her four-legged friends have continued on her mission to help those suffering.
But Mexico isn't the only nation sending dogs to the frontline to help Turkey and Syria's rescue efforts.
The UK, USA, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Libya, Poland, and have all deployed their own canine rescue teams and handlers to help out.
The dogs are particularly useful in areas where machinery could dislodge rubble, threatening the lives of those still trapped underneath.
The dogs are trained to follow their nose to sniff out survivors and bodies.
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When they find a human, they alert their handlers by barking and scratching at the ground to show where a person may be trapped.
Mexican officials say their mission is 'to save lives.
The dogs can also detect bodies for recovery, but officials hope their speedy deployment will help rescuers save people trapped before it is too late.
The dogs landed in Turkey mere hours ago and are already busy at work with rescuers and their handlers.
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If you’d like to help those who’ve been affected by the recent devastating events unfolding in Turkey and Syria you can donate to the British Red Cross' emergency appeal.
Featured Image Credit: @m_ebrard/Twitter.Topics: World News, Animals, Good News
