An 11-year-old French poodle named Beyli has been pulled alive from the rubble of an apartment block in La Guaira, Venezuela, 29 days after a devastating earthquake. The dog was discovered by the rescue brigade Topos Orientales A.C. during operations to remove debris and inspect collapsed structures.
Jairo Rengel and his 11-year-old daughter, Victoria Isabela Rengel, went to the collapse site to oversee the clean-up effort. There, Beyli was found curled up next to the body of Victoria's mother, who died in the earthquake along with the girl's grandmother. The poodle was suffering from dehydration.
Family thanks rescuers
Victoria wrote on TikTok: "Today I thank God and these men and women who worked hard to get my dog out alive after 29 days of the earthquake when the rescuers from other countries had already given everyone up as dead, my dog is still alive. Thank you God for this miracle you made even though they didn't manage to bring my mother or grandmother out alive. Today I have my dog with me, healthy and making a good recovery."
Beyli is being treated by vets in Playa Grande. Vet Mirna, who did not give her surname, said: "He is stable, really it is a miracle, it is a miracle everything that has happened with him, he has some ulcers in the eyes, but soon he will be fine."
Earthquake toll
Two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 hit on June 24. La Guaira, on Venezuela's northern coast, was the hardest-hit area. The official death toll has risen to more than 5,500, with nearly 17,000 injured and 18,000 homeless. Authorities have not said how many remain missing, though estimates put the figure in the tens of thousands.
Dust from collapsed buildings hangs in the humid air, garbage has piled up, and many families camp outside homes deemed too dangerous to enter. Victoria and Beyli are currently staying in a temporary shelter set up by authorities for families affected by the earthquake.
Public health and environmental experts say the coming weeks are critical to preventing secondary crises caused by contaminants from the rubble and rebuilding.
