Venezuelan quake survivors are searching for missing pets at a makeshift hospital set up in a McDonald’s restaurant in the seaside city of Caraballeda. The restaurant, next to the ruins of collapsed state housing complexes, has become a de facto hospital for earthquake victims and a center for locating and treating missing pets.
Hope in the Midst of Tragedy
Gabriela Alves found her 6-year-old dog Buddy at the McDonald’s after a week of searching. The dog was trapped in the rubble of Alves’ home and was rescued by volunteers who broke a hole in the wall to free him. Alves was overjoyed to be reunited with her pet, saying, ‘This is a miracle. We’ve lost everything material, but at least we’re both alive.’
The makeshift hospital was set up by a team of 70 veterinarians, students, doctors, and civilian volunteers who traveled from the western city of Barquisimeto. The team is led by Angel Matute, who coordinates rescue efforts in the McDonald’s. Matute said, ‘For us, a pet is one more human life. There are animals that are more human than humans themselves.’
The team has rescued 140 animals and treated 60 more, and plans to continue reuniting owners with missing pets until their assistance is no longer needed. The McDonald’s restaurant has become a symbol of hope in the midst of tragedy, providing a place for survivors to find their beloved pets and receive medical treatment.
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
