A stray animal rehabilitation center in Türkiye’s northwestern province of Kocaeli was named after a Mexican rescue dog, Proteo, who died while saving lives in the ruins left behind by the deadly Feb. 6 earthquakes in the southeastern region of the country.
The center was built on 6,100 square meters (around 65,660 square feet) in the Sepetlipınar neighborhood by Başiskele municipality in Kocaeli.
The dog that worked in rescue operations alongside the Mexican team in Adıyaman province was one of the many trained animals brought up by international groups to help in the search operations following powerful 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes that struck Türkiye and neighboring Syria, leaving thousands dead.
Proteo garnered national and international attention as it helped save at least two lives from under the rubble before being severely injured in the line of duty.
An administrative building was established in the center on an area of 164 square meters, while the shelter was based on an area of 435 square meters.
Proteo's photograph along with an introductory panel in Turkish and Spanish was also displayed in front of the center.
"Proteo had participated in search and rescue efforts in Türkiye, where he arrived after the earthquake disaster on Feb. 6. A member of a military police brigade in Mexico City, Proteo was born on Jun. 13, 2013, and was almost nine years and eight months old when he died on Feb. 12, 2023," read the introductory panel.
"The death of Proteo was unfortunate in Mexico and Türkiye. As Başiskele Municipality, our street animal care home was named after Proteo, in honor of all the search and rescue dogs that saved hundreds of people, found thousands of explosives, and served humanity in many fields," it read further.
In a post on his social media account, Mehmet Yasin Özlü, the mayor of Başiskele Municipality, said that the work on the rehabilitation center has just ended, adding: "We named our center after Proteo, who served Mexico for many years. Proteo’s name will be remembered in this center for years."