Behind the Badge
Frida, a 7-year-old Labrador retriever, created a social media stir after saving the lives of 52 people following Mexico’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake last week.
It started when photos surfaced of Frida wearing her Marine vest, protection boots and goggles. Her heroic efforts, and her uniform, touched the hearts of many worldwide.
Frida is deployed by the Mexican Navy (SEMAR) in the event of natural disasters. In her career, she has detected the bodies of 52 people, 12 of whom were still alive. Frida works with 14 other rescue dogs and handlers to locate and recover victims.
The Mexican Navy tweeted a photo collage of Frida last week, commemorating her amazing rescues from numerous natural disasters during her career. The post received more than 5,000 retweets.
One of Frida’s recent missions included detecting the body of a police officer when an earthquake struck Oaxaca two weeks ago. Her handlers are hopeful her skills will help them search through the rubble in Mexico City, including an elementary school that has received a lot of media attention.
And now, Frida’s popularity might be able to help earthquake victims. The brand Twnpns is using Frida’s image to make quirky pins, a symbol of love and hope in Mexico during a difficult time. The pins cost 150 pesos (approximately $8) and 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Mexican Red Cross.
More details on Frida’s story can be found in these People and TIME articles.
