Interior Minister Hsu Kuo-yung presented six search and rescue dogs with firefighting officer rankings on Monday. That’s in recognition of their hard work.
All of the dogs passed the certification exams in the Mission and Readiness Test (MRT) Asia last year. That test requires dogs and their trainers to complete rescue missions in seven different settings, including a landslide, and a tunnel collapse.
At Monday’s ceremony, Hsu said that search and rescue dogs play a crucial role in disaster relief. He recalled seeing the dogs search through rubble in the aftermath of the 2016 Tainan earthquake and the 2018 Hualien earthquake. He recounted how the dogs were able to locate survivors buried in the rubble.
Meanwhile, four other dogs at Monday’s ceremony are now entering retirement. The four retiring canines are between eight and nine years old, and have served their whole lives as rescue dogs. The dogs’ new family members tied bandanas around their necks, signifying the beginning of their lives as non-service dogs.
The retiring dogs’ trainers also made a video for their four-legged teammates, telling them: “Don’t wait for us when there’s an earthquake, go enjoy your life!”