Dayko the ‘hero dog’ dies from exhaustion after mammoth rescue effort
A four-year-old Labrador is being heralded a hero after selflessly rescuing seven people from the aftermath of an Ecuadorian earthquake.
Tragically however the white lab collapsed and died of exhaustion due to extreme tireless following his heroic efforts.
Dayko was a rescue dog for the Ibara fire service tragically died last Friday after spending the days prior search for survivors in the rubble of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which devastated parts of Ecuador last week.
In a post on the Ibara fire service’s Facebook page the cause of the beloved dogs death was “massive coronary myocardial infarction and acute respiratory failure.”
The brave pooch has been working as a rescuer for three and a half years prior to his passing.
"We regret to inform you that today the [fire service] is in mourning because [we] just lost Dayko who participated in the work of searching in Pedernales," said the fire service on their social media account.
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"This four legged friend gave his life in the line of duty. Thank you Dayko for your heroic efforts in Pedernales and in various emergencies where you were present.”
"You held high the name of the K9 unit."
Prior to his passing the fire department posted a series of pictures in honor of Dayko that show him searching through the rubble left behind by the earthquake.
Some lambasted the fire department for working the Labrador to the point of exhaustion.
In a subsequent Facebook post, the department defended the handling of its canines.
The earthquake, which has been called the worst in the country’s history, has left more than 600 dead and over 12,000 injured.
The United Nations announced Monday that its World Food Programme will distribute food to 260,000 people who are hungry after surviving the chaos.
The shocking natural disaster destroyed buildings, roads and knocked out power along the Pacific coastline.
"Reconstruction will cost billions of dollars," and the impact on economic growth "could be huge," President Rafael Correa, said last week when addressing the media.
News break – April 27
