A nine-year-old Border Collie rescue dog named Tsunami has been honoured with a bronze statue in Maracaibo for his heroic work rescuing survivors after Venezuela's devastating earthquakes. The statue commemorates his role in saving 26 people in La Guarria, with Tsunami receiving the title 'Guardian of Hope' and a Medal of Honour for his exceptional contributions to the rescue efforts. The unveiling was an emotional occasion, with locals weeping as the statue was revealed, celebrating the dog's extraordinary bravery.

The earthquakes, which struck in June with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, caused over 6,500 deaths, with approximately 226,700 people injured or hospitalised and 856 buildings damaged or 190 collapsed entirely. Tsunami was trained as an urban search-and-rescue specialist at K-SAR ECID Disaster Canine Training Center in Venezuela, after being rescued himself as an emaciated puppy from the streets of Caracas. The statue features his distinctive characteristic—a singular blue eye caused by heterochromia—and he is now set to retire following his remarkable final mission in Venezuela, having also previously assisted in disaster response efforts in Syria and Turkey.