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Four-legged heroes: international dog squad helps save lives after Venezuela earthquakes
By CNN Newsource at KVIA ABC-7
· July 5, 2026
· 4 min read
By Anabella Gonzalez, Alessandra Freitas, CNN
Sniffing and burrowing his way through the rubble of Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes, Tsunami the mixed-breed border collie was out on one last job before retirement.
Recognizable by his heterochromia – with one eye brown and the other blue – ...
Key takeaway “Our four-legged rescuer managed to save 25 people from the rubble of buildings that collapsed in the earthquakes,” Venezuela’s government said Thursday.
Why this matters in The El Paso
The heroic efforts of search-and-rescue dogs like Tsunami and Bart in Venezuela's earthquake response have a direct connection to El Paso 's own disaster preparedness. As a community that has experienced its share of emergencies, El Paso residents can appreciate the value of highly trained canine teams in locating survivors and recovering victims. The fact that dozens of skilled search-and-rescue dogs from over 20 countries have been deployed to Venezuela highlights the importance of international cooperation in disaster response. El Paso's own emergency responders may draw valuable lessons from the successes and challenges of the Venezuelan earthquake response, particularly in the use of specialized canine units. Furthermore, the city's proximity to the US-Mexico border means that El Paso's emergency services may be called upon to assist in cross-border disaster responses, making the study of effective search-and-rescue strategies all the more relevant.
About this story
Original reporting by KVIA ABC-7 . The El Paso surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KVIA ABC-7 . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: July 5, 2026 ·
Source: KVIA ABC-7 ·
Reading time: 4 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? By Anabella Gonzalez, Alessandra Freitas, CNN
Sniffing and burrowing his way through the rubble of Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes, Tsunami the mixed-breed border collie was out on one last job before retirement.
Recognizable by his heterochromia – with one eye brown and the other blue – ...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 5, 2026 by KVIA ABC-7 and curated for The El Paso readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by CNN Newsource at KVIA ABC-7. To learn more about how The El Paso selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The El Paso, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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