Manila: From pet to rescue dog in earthquake zone

Every Sunday, around 46 dogs of all sizes and their owners meet in a suburb of the Philippine capital Manila to train together for emergencies. Pet dogs trained as search and rescue dogs support the Philippine disaster control authorities when a major earthquake hits the metropolis.

Hazel, a three-year-old dog, and her owner Nathalia Chua practise overcoming obstacles, tracking down survivors and climbing ladders and walkways. "My end goal with Hazel is just to be as prepared as possible if the 'big one' comes," says 17-year-old Chua.

Nathalia Chua hides in a barrel from Hazel, who is supposed to track her down and report her discovery. Before the teenager took Hazel in, the young dog was living on the streets, emaciated. She doesn't have the pedigree of some of her training companions, but she shows a lot of enthusiasm: She barks and wags her tail when she successfully finds Chua in the garbage can.

"We all know that for the 'big one'... we really need to be prepared," says instructor Katrina Florece. Manila is located on the West Valley Fault and near the Manila Trench. Seismologists believe that a movement of one of the two faults could lead to a major earthquake with catastrophic consequences for the Philippine capital.

The dogs are trained by volunteers from the state-run Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Dogs and their owners must attend at least 12 training sessions before they can be deployed. The volunteer group has trained around 700 pet dogs since 2016 and the aim is to train many more: The goal is 3,400 operational pet dogs in Manila.

A dog jumps across the training ground with an athletic leap. Experts fear that tens of thousands of lives could be at risk in the event of a major quake in the vast metropolitan region of Manila. Well-trained four-legged pets could save lives in an emergency.

When Nathalia Chua took in her young dog in 2021, Hazel was malnourished and anxious. The training has made her calmer and more confident. "She loves it," said Chua. "I think even if the dog doesn't end up enjoying search and rescue, joining this is a great opportunity to learn and bond with your dog."