Watch: 3 times dogs came to the rescue of Turkey-Syria earthquake victims

Powerful twin earthquakes struck southern Turkey last Monday killing at least 35,000 people, the country's disaster agency said Sunday.

Rescue efforts and humanitarian aid continue uninterrupted for earthquake victims in the region affected by the disaster.

Several countries have sent sniffer dog squads to aid rescuers in identifying survivors, along with boots on the ground.

Here are three times when dogs were at the centre of rescue efforts:

1. Dog helps deliver aid

A Turkish aid team managed to reach earthquake victims in southern Turkey by following a dog when they got lost.

After setting out for a village in the Goksun district of the Kahramanmaras province, the team chose an alternate route as the road was closed due to snow and rocks. After a while, they lost their way and decided to follow a dog that approached them. Thanks to the guidance of the dog, they found the village and delivered the aid.

The team also recorded these moments with a mobile phone. The video footage shows a dog running ahead and the aid vehicle, which is following the animal.

Rescue efforts and humanitarian aid continue uninterrupted for earthquake victims in the region affected by the disaster.

2. Romeo and Julie rescue six-year-old

Romeo and Julie are two dogs part of a squad sent by the Indian government to assist the Turkish rescue teams.

They rescued a six-year-old girl, three days after the earthquake struck.

Dog handler Constable Kundan explained how Julie found the little girl, who has been identified as Beren, alive first in the rubble at the Nurdagi site.

"We were asked by our government to facilitate search and rescue operations here in Nurdagi and we had a lead about a survivor trapped in the rubble. We asked Julie to go inside the rubble. She went in and started barking, which was a sign that she had detected a survivor trapped underneath," he told ANI.

"For reconfirmation, we sent Romeo (Male Labrador) into the rubble and he also confirmed through barking that someone was, indeed, alive under the debris," another NDRF dog attendant said.

After several hours of the rescue operation, NDRF personnel succeeded in saving the life of 6-year-old Beren.

3. Proteo, Mexico's beloved rescue dog, passes away

Proteo, a dog in the Mexican army, was brought to help with relief and rescue efforts in Turkey.

However, he passed away earlier today. The Mexican Interior Minister tweeted a eulogy for the beloved animal. He said: "I regret the death of Proteo, a member of the SEDENA rescue team in Turkey. He lifted the name of Mexico and our people."

He has reportedly rescued two people in the operation, before he passed away.

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