Türkiye commemorated the heroic rescue dog Proteo, who was brought to the earthquake-hit southern region after the Feb. 6 tremors and died as a result of illness.

Proteo, who came to Türkiye from Mexico with a search and rescue team of 150 people, provided significant support to the efforts. Proteo, who later fell ill and could not be saved, was buried in a garden in Adıyaman. Later, his remains were sent to his country, while the team left the dog's collar with the school administration as a poignant memory.

School Deputy Principal Kadir Kurnaz told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Proteo was quite active in search operations.

"Proteo helped locate and save at least one woman and one man from the earthquake rubble and died in the line of duty from exhaustion due to the long trip and extended duty in the quake zone," Kurnaz said.

Following the sad event, a German Shepherd puppy, named Arkadaş (meaning "friend" in Turkish), was flown from Türkiye to Mexico as a tribute to Proteo.

Mexico expressed gratitude for Türkiye's gesture, emphasizing that humanitarian aid transcends boundaries.

Juan Carlos Villeda, Arkadaş's search and rescue trainer, remarked on the pup's seamless adaptation to their team. "Arkadaş's exceptional qualities, particularly his keen sense of smell, will excel as a search and rescue dog after training," he said.

"Arkadaş has captured the hearts of everyone at the training center with his loyalty and therapeutic presence. Spending time with him is a joy. He's incredibly loyal and always by my side. Working with him feels like therapy. He has truly become a part of our team," he added.