A dog known on social media as Bayli was rescued alive this Friday in Venezuela, 29 days after getting trapped under the rubble of the double earthquake that devastated the northern region of the country on June 24.
The rescue, captured on video and widely shared on social media, shows firefighters in red helmets and fluorescent vests giving water to the little poodle, lying on the rubble and covered in dust.
The story has an extra emotional weight: Bayli's owner passed away during the earthquakes, and the little dog was found beside her under the rubble of the collapsed structure.
"Her name is Bayli, and she was with her owner, who unfortunately passed away after the double earthquake. She is in delicate condition but is now in the care of her family: an 11-year-old girl and her father, who are the daughter and husband of the lady that Bayli was accompanying when she was found," wrote internet user Luciana on X, formerly Twitter.
Despite her delicate condition, the little dog was given to that family, which is now becoming her new home.
The rescue of Bayli —also identified as Beyli or Laila according to different sources— is the latest recorded since the earthquakes and has immediately become a symbol of hope for thousands of people closely following the Venezuelan tragedy.
"Against all odds, Beyli was rescued alive after spending 29 days beneath the rubble of the earthquake in Venezuela. Her story became a symbol of hope amidst the tragedy," noted the account @AineNoticias.
It is not the first animal rescue that has touched the world since the earthquakes. From the very first days, search teams have successfully recovered several pets: Chanel, a Yorkshire Terrier found with the teenager Camila Sofía Medina Rivas; Buddy, rescued after eight days in Caraballeda; Draco, who survived 12 days under the rubble; and Milo, a mixed breed dog who later assisted in the search efforts.
As of July 14, the Misión Nevado reported 648 rescued animals between La Guaira and San Bernardino, with at least 18 reunions between pets and their families.
The rescue of Bayli takes place when Venezuela marks one month since the worst seismic disaster in its recent history.
On June 24, two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck the northern part of the country just 39 seconds apart, destroying entire buildings and leaving tens of thousands of families homeless, particularly in the state of La Guaira.
The official count stands at 5,398 dead and 16,740 injured, while the UN estimates up to 68,000 missing and over 6.7 million affected across the country.
One month after the earthquakes, thousands of Venezuelans are still searching for their relatives among the rubble, while many displaced individuals survive cramped in tents without access to potable water or basic services, with the Venezuelan government reporting that residents of the damaged complexes will not be able to return to their homes until March 2027.
In that context of prolonged pain, the image of Bayli receiving water from the hands of firefighters became one of the few pieces of news able to bring a smile this Saturday.
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