“Members of the Mexican Army and Air Force are deeply saddened by the loss of our great companion, the dog Proteo. You have fulfilled your mission as a member of the Mexican delegation in the search and rescue of our brothers in Turkey. Thank you Proteo for your heroic work”. It was with this pain-filled message that, in the early hours of Sunday February 12, Mexico’s Secretary of National Defense announced the death of Proteo, one of their 14 dogs flown to Turkey for help in post-earthquake relief operations.
Sedena has not yet revealed how Proteus died, but according to some unofficial sources it seems that the dog was swept away by a landslide while he was carrying out his research work in Ayidaman, Turkey. An official note on the incident will probably be released in the next few hours.
A moving tribute to Proteo, a Mexican rescue dog who died during post-earthquake operations in Turkey
On social media, the image of the dog with a mourning drape and the grieving message for his loss was published, while on TikTok a tribute video which, after some images, shows one of the rescuers sending an important message to his four-legged companion: ” I want to tell you that I am proud of you because you have always been a strong dog, a hardworking dog who never gave up. Now, I just have to thank you for supporting me, unfortunately you will not be able to stay with me anymore, I will always remember you. All of Mexico, I hope that… that they will always remember you and with them I will never forget you. One day we will meet again”.
A few hours before the announcement of the tragic death of Proteo, Balam, another dog of the Mexican team, became the pride of the country for having saved the life of a woman in her 40s who had been trapped under the rubble
Mexico has sent 14 highly specialized rescue dogs to Turkey – Balam, Orly, July, Rex, Territorio, Timba, Barato, Balanceo, Bureta, Biosfera, Tardío, Kiara, Teología and the late Proteo – some of which have respectable rescues under the rubble from earthquakes: in Mexico dogs played a leading role after the 2017 earthquake and won the hearts of Mexicans by performing miracles. Like Frida did, a Labrador retriever in service with the Navy, who died of old age last year, who distinguished himself for having saved, during his career, 12 human lives between Mexico, Haiti, Guatemala and Ecuador and also the discovery of 40 bodies . A photo appeared in the media in which Frida appears with non-slip protective shoes on all fours and with protective goggles. Now Frida is gone (died last November), and she will meet on the “rainbow bridge” with Proteus.
