Mexican Red Cross rescue dog Halley returns after saving victim in Venezuela

Halley, a five‑year‑old USAR dog from the Mexican Red Cross, and handler Gonzalo Granados were part of an international search‑and‑rescue team that operated in La Guaira, Venezuela, after the June 24 earthquakes. The dog detected a point in the debris that "indicated a possible presence of a person with life," leading rescuers to discover Hernán Alberto Gil Flores alive after more than 180 hours trapped under the collapsed Galerías Playa Grande mall. The complex operation lasted over 100 hours, involving specialized equipment such as a SearchCam 360 and careful shoring of the structure.

After the victim was extracted and taken to hospital, Halley returned to Mexico aboard a flight to the AIFA, where the dog was photographed resting on the aircraft – an image that quickly went viral on social media. The mission highlighted the effectiveness of canine‑human teams and coordinated international response in urban disaster scenarios.