In the park named after the Mexican rescue dog Proteo, who died while conducting search and rescue activities in Adıyaman in southeastern Türkiye following the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on Feb. 6, 2023, 45 dogs are being trained for free.

After the earthquakes, described as the "disaster of the century," Proteo arrived in Türkiye with a team of 150 people from Mexico and took part in search and rescue operations. Proteo fell ill while the search activities were ongoing and died on Feb. 10, 2023.

To honor the dog's name, Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality named the dog training course at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan National Garden after Proteo.

At the 590-square-meter course, which includes various play and training areas, veterinarians and trainers from the Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection and Control Department take care of the animals' feeding, cleaning, maintenance and vaccinations. Additionally, they provide the dogs with training on "socialization, desensitization, approaching stray dogs and obedience."

Served 10 years in Mexico

Cüneyt Canıdemir, head of the Afforestation and Maintenance Branch of the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality Parks and Gardens Department, told an Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondent that a search and rescue team from Mexico came to Türkiye after the earthquake, just like teams from many other countries around the world.

Canıdemir stated that the Mexican team brought along a search and rescue dog named Proteo and said: "Proteo participated in significant operations at the Mexican Ministry of National Defense, serving in many earthquakes and landslides for 10 years. Proteo came to our country during the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. He helped us reach 29 bodies and three survivors. We found it appropriate to name this place after him."

Canıdemir explained that 45 owned dogs receive free training every Sunday and expressed that the training course named after Proteo is well-liked.

Dog trainer Burak Safa Bayram mentioned that they support the training with competitions, saying: "We have made significant progress in training. People know their dogs better. We have been continuing our training for 14 weeks."

Çağlar Danacı, who participated in the training with his dog, thanked those who contributed to the opening of the course.

Danacı said that the equipment in the course allows them to both entertain and train their dogs, adding: "It is completely free training. Our dog was a bit antisocial. We were complaining about it. He was anxious and wouldn't let strangers pet him, but we overcame this by coming here."