A statue of rescue dog Killian stands on a stone memorial at a dog training club in Sweden.
Authorities in Sweden have unveiled a monument honoring rescue dog Killian, who helped save 18 people from the rubble in Türkiye’s southern province of Hatay following the massive Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.
The memorial dedicated to the canine also pays tribute to all global rescue units and animals operating in disaster zones under severe risk. Turkish Ambassador to Stockholm Korhan Karakoç attended the inauguration ceremony.
“On this occasion, we remember those who lost their lives in the earthquakes with respect and compassion, and express our gratitude to all teams and volunteers who took part in the search and rescue efforts,” Karakoç said.
Scores of international search and rescue personnel were deployed to Türkiye immediately after the massive twin temblors leveled wide swaths of the country’s southern and southeastern regions, bringing specialized equipment and trained personnel to assist local responders.
Foreign search dogs played a crucial role in locating survivors trapped deep beneath collapsed concrete structures across multiple provinces, sniffing out individuals where heavy machinery could not operate safely.
A Mexican rescue canine named Proteo notably captured widespread media attention and public sympathy during the massive recovery operations in the region, drawing focus to the critical contributions of these animals before he died on duty.
