Frida, the rescue dog from the Secretary of the Navy (SEMAR) who became famous for her rescue work after the earthquake on September 19, 2017, died this Tuesday, November 15, due to conditions typical of her age. The official agency confirmed the death of the canine, who was reported as ill in previous months, through her social networks.
Through their social networks, SEMAR dedicated an emotional video where they recalled the rescue work in collapsed structures that Frida led almost from her birth, on April 12, 2009.
“In uncertainty, your barking meant hope. With your nobility and delivery, you left a mark on our hearts. Your goggles and boots gave life to our rescue dog, an icon of union and solidarity of the Mexican people. You stood out because in rescue operations you gave everything for life. As a result of your effort and dedication to service, you became a heroine and marked a new stage (…) Today we say to you, once again, thank you, Frida”, is heard in the tribute video.
In March 2022 SEMAR reported that, due to her age and the 10 years of service she provided until 2019, the labrador retriever suffered various health ailments that kept her under close medical surveillance, although at that time she was not considered to be in terminal health.
The figure of Frida captured the spotlight in the media and social networks during her last two operational participation as a rescue dog, that is, in Oaxaca and Mexico City after the earthquakes that occurred in September 2017.
Frida was a honey-colored Labrador retriever who was born in the Navy Secretariat Unit, today the Canine Control Subgroup, belonging to the General Staff of the Mexican Navy. Within a few days, she showed qualities, as well as empathy skills towards people that made her an ideal candidate to be integrated into the Search and Rescue group, where she began her training.
Due to her good performance, she completed the course scheduled to take one year in eight months, that is, a record time. Upon completion, she began performing search and rescue work on collapsed structures. The first time she was put to the test was in 2010 when she traveled to Haiti to support post-earthquake work. Her next participations were in Mexico.
Throughout her work, she managed to rescue 55 people, 12 alive and 43 dead. In addition to the Caribbean island, she participated in the rescue work for the explosion in the PEMEX tower in 2013; a landslide in Guaranda, Ecuador in 2017; as well as the earthquakes in Oaxaca and Mexico City in the same year.
For her work, she was discharged with honors in 2019. Three years later, on November 15, 2022, the Secretary of the Navy reported that "unfortunately one of our most valuable elements, the canine Frida, died this afternoon in Mexico City (…) due to illnesses typical of her age” .
