The Turkish government sent a German Shepherd puppy to Mexico as a thank you for the country’s aid following devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
The fluffy, brown and black puppy has been dubbed Arkadas — Turkish for "friend" — and is a gesture of gratitude following the death of Proteo.
One of 16 search-and-rescue dogs Mexico sent to Turkey in February as part of aid efforts, 9-year-old German Shepherd Proteo died from exhaustion and harsh conditions during the rescue mission, according to his handler, Carlos Villeda Marquez.
Villeda Marquez will now begin training 3-month-old Arkadas, who joins Mexico’s famed canine unit that specializes in finding survivors of earthquakes and other disasters. The dogs became icons of resilience in 2017 for their work following a major earthquake in central Mexico.
The earthquakes in Turkey and Syria earlier this year left a death toll of well over 50,000 people.
Hola ¡Soy Arkadaş y quiero que me conozcas! ¡Gracias a mis amigos de México quienes me recibieron con mucho cariño, prometo dar lo mejor para ser un gran perro de búsqueda y rescate! pic.twitter.com/zeQkNwGLQT
— @SEDENAmx (@SEDENAmx) May 3, 2023
