A dog named Draco was rescued alive this Tuesday in Caraballeda, La Guaira state, after being trapped for 12 days under the rubble of his home, which collapsed during the devastating double earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026.
The dog's family had arrived at the site searching for their grandmother, two missing dogs, and three cats that had disappeared after the earthquake.
It was a faint bark that led them through the ruins to find Draco alive, according to the video shared by YOYOPRESS NOTICIAS on the social network X.
"Yes, it's Draco! It's Draco!" can be heard from those present at the moment of the discovery, in a scene that encapsulates the mix of anguish and relief that has characterized the rescue efforts in La Guaira.
A drawer located beneath a collapsed wall cushioned the weight of the debris and protected the animal for nearly two weeks.
A person identified as Jair risked their safety to reach him and pull him out from the rubble.
"Jair risked his life to save Drako, a demonstration of love. Good people are more numerous," read one of the texts in the rescue video.
After being freed, Draco was immediately attended to by the Veterinary Brigade, the care point established for animals affected by the tragedy in La Guaira, and then transferred to an Emergency Veterinary Center to continue his recovery.
"There are looks that say it all. This champion endured 12 days trapped under the rubble in La Guaira," described another of the texts that accompanied the images.
The case of Draco is not the only extreme animal survival recorded after the earthquake. Recently, the dog Milo was also rescued after 12 days under the rubble of a building in La Guaira, in a joint operation by the Azteca Moles from Mexico and the USAR from El Salvador.
On July 3, the dog Buddy, also a six-year-old Yorkshire, was rescued alive after eight days in Caraballeda. The parrot Panchito survived nine days under the rubble, although he died that same day from dehydration.
The double earthquake on June 24 —with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, occurring just 39 seconds apart— is considered the worst quake recorded in Venezuela in over a century.
Caraballeda was one of the hardest-hit localities, with its combination of soft soil and deep basin exacerbating the collapse of buildings.
As of July 6, the official toll reached 3,342 deaths, over 11,000 injured, and approximately 50,000 missing according to the UN, with 158 of the 190 collapsed buildings across the country concentrated in La Guaira.
"In the midst of horror, stories like this remind us that every life matters," concluded YOYOPRESS while sharing images of Draco's rescue.
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