Hero dog Appa completes rescue mission at landslide-hit village in Davao de Oro

DAVAO ORIENTAL, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard’s “hero dog” Appa has completed his search and rescue mission in Masara village in Maco, Davao de Oro, leaving a town filled with grateful residents still reeling from a deadly landslide.

Maco Mayor Arthur Carlos Voltaire Rimando said Appa, whom he called a “hero dog,” left his town on Friday, February 16, after the PCG completed their search and rescue mission.

A massive landslide hit Maco town on February 6. The death toll as of February 14 was 85.

In a statement on Friday, Rimando said Appa was the one who found the location of a landslide survivor, a three-year-old girl, three days after the landslide.

The mayor said Appa had just completed a rescue mission in nearby Davao Oriental, which was also hit by massive landslides in early February, before joining the team in Davao de Oro.

“From Davao Oriental, Appa was rushed to Zone One, the ground zero of the landslide in Masara village to find the landslide survivors. The dog is dead tired already. The veterinarian at the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao has recommended for the dog to be pulled out from the search and rescue mission for a much needed rest,” said Rimando.

The mayor said that in time for Appa’s departure from the landslide site on Friday, he ordered the pull out of the Incident Command Center in Masara. The local government shifted its operation from search and rescue to retrieval of the dead, using heavy equipment.

“As the hero dog gets dead tired from the search and rescue mission, three other dogs named Britney, Ivy, and Tifa are quick to reinforce Appa. The three dogs led responders in finding the locations of four cadavers. They are part of the Coast Guard’s K9 search and rescue dogs from the Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao based in Zamboanga City and Zamboanga del Sur,” Rimando said.

Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao in a statement said in a statement that Appa helped locate at least three cadavers and a body part.

“In the ongoing efforts, Appa’s keen sense of smell and agility in traversing the terrain have been invaluable,” Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao said.

The Coast Guard also said that Britney, Ivy and Tifa have also led their search and rescue team in locating six locations of possible cadavers on February 15.

“These findings represent a crucial step in the recovery process, offering closure to grieving families and ensuring dignified handling of the situation. The unwavering dedication of the SAR team and the remarkable abilities of Britney, Ivy, and Tiffa underscore the invaluable role of human-canine partnerships in times of crisis,” the Coast Guard said. – Rappler.com