Surviving Dogs, Cats, and Birds Rescued from Debris
Animal Group Appeals for Help, Saying "We Are the Animals' Hope"
On the fourth day of the disaster, various animals such as dogs and cats continue to be found alive and rescued at the earthquake sites in T?rkiye and Syria.
On the 9th (local time), foreign media including AFP reported a photo of rescue workers saving a white furry dog at the site of a collapsed building in ?skenderun, Hatay Province, T?rkiye, one of the hardest-hit areas of the earthquake. The dog, named "Pamuk" (meaning cotton), due to its fur color, was buried in the rubble of the building tangled with gravel and rebar, with only its face sticking out.
On the 9th (local time), rescuers in Hatay, Turkey, are pulling out a dog named 'Pamuk' buried under the rubble of a collapsed building. [Photo by AFP]
A video capturing Pamuk's rescue moment is widely shared on social media platforms. The video shows the process of rescue workers carefully pulling Pamuk out from under the debris. Although more than three days had passed since the earthquake, and Pamuk must have been exhausted, when the rescuers surrounded him, he actively moved his head from side to side despite being unable to move his body. When the rescuers offered water from a plastic bottle to his mouth, he readily drank it, showing an affectionate demeanor. The rescuers repeatedly said "slowly, carefully" and successfully pulled Pamuk out safely.
Cats have also been rescued one after another. AP reported on a cat rescued from the rubble in Hatay Province, stating that the cat was shocked and exhausted. In fact, the cat in the photo looks completely drained and limp. Other foreign media also reported photos of cats rescued in Hatay Province. The cat in the photo looks wide-eyed and confused, as if it has not fully grasped the situation.
On the 9th (local time), a man is rescuing an exhausted cat from the rubble of a collapsed building in Hatay, southern T?rkiye. [Photo by AP Yonhap News]
There were also cases of parrots being rescued. In Malatya, rescue workers saved a pet parrot trapped under building debris 50 hours after the earthquake. The rescuers placed the bird in a cardboard box and moved it to a safe place. In Kahramanmara?, a 13-year-old boy survived for 55 hours in the rubble while holding his pet parrot.
The boy handed the parrot to his aunt before being hospitalized and left for the hospital, and the aunt is reportedly taking care of the parrot on behalf of her nephew.
On the 8th (local time), a rescuer in Hatay, Turkey, is smiling while holding a cat he saved. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
The international animal protection organization 'Animal Network (NFA)' expressed concern in an appeal released on the 9th, stating, "Animals are also suffering in the earthquake disaster areas of T?rkiye and Syria," and warned, "The time to rescue them is rapidly running out." They added, "Cats can survive about two weeks without food, and dogs about one week. We must never give up. We are the only hope for these animals," urging for help.
Meanwhile, during the Sichuan earthquake in China in April 2013, which claimed over 200 lives, there was a miraculous case of a pig buried alive and rescued after 45 days. Both rescued pigs were six-month-old piglets, and their weight had dropped from 40kg before the earthquake to 25kg due to starvation at the time of discovery. These pigs later earned the nickname "miracle pigs."
Also, during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, there was a pig that survived for 36 days by eating charcoal and drinking rainwater. Named Zhu Jianqiang, meaning "strong pig," this pig lived for 13 more years until 2021, which would be equivalent to 100 years in human age.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
