CARABALLEDA, Venezuela — A McDonald’s restaurant in the Venezuelan coastal city of Caraballeda has taken on an unexpected role in the aftermath of the country’s devastating June 24 earthquakes, serving as an emergency treatment center and reunification point for families searching for pets lost beneath the rubble.
According to the Associated Press, the restaurant sits near collapsed government housing complexes and has become known among local residents as “Hospital McDonald’s.” While emergency teams continue responding to the disaster, volunteers have converted the fast-food outlet into a temporary base where injured animals receive medical care and owners gather in hopes of finding missing companions.
Among those reunited was 36-year-old Gabriela Alves, who found her six-year-old white dog, Buddy, after searching for more than a week.
“This is a miracle,” Alves said as veterinarians treated the dog inside the restaurant. “We’ve lost everything material, but at least we’re both alive.”
The makeshift rescue center emerged a day after the twin earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, killing at least 2,295 people and injuring approximately 11,000, according to Venezuelan officials. Beyond the human toll, countless pets disappeared as homes and apartment buildings collapsed.
Volunteers Create an Unlikely Rescue Center
Veterinarian Angel Matute arrived in Caraballeda with roughly 70 veterinarians, medical personnel, students and civilian volunteers from the western city of Barquisimeto.
Searching for a secure location with electricity and shelter from heavy rain, the group found that the McDonald’s restaurant remained operational, with air conditioning and enough space to establish an emergency response center.
From there, volunteers began distributing medical supplies, assisting injured residents and treating rescued dogs and cats while recording reports of missing animals.
Matute said the team considers animals an important part of families affected by the disaster.
“For us, a pet is one more human life,” he said.
The volunteer network has rescued about 140 animals and provided medical treatment to another 60. Members say they intend to continue operations until local rescue efforts are no longer required.
Reunion After Eight Days Beneath the Rubble
Alves was away visiting relatives when the earthquakes struck. She immediately returned by motorcycle to her neighborhood hoping to rescue Buddy, only to find her home destroyed.
After hearing that volunteers at “Hospital McDonald’s” were helping reunite owners with missing pets, she visited the restaurant every day while continuing to search the ruins of her home.
For days, there was no sign of the dog.
While sorting through belongings in the only accessible section of the damaged house, Alves suddenly heard barking beneath the debris. Looking through a crack in the concrete, she spotted Buddy’s white ear.
She called for help, and nearby rescue workers broke through a wall before pulling the dust-covered dog from the collapsed structure after eight days trapped inside.
Veterinarians later examined Buddy at the McDonald’s rescue center and began treating him with intravenous fluids.
Symbol of Hope Amid Disaster
As emergency crews continue responding to one of Venezuela’s deadliest natural disasters in recent years, the improvised rescue center has become a symbol of resilience for many residents coping with profound personal loss.
Holding Buddy after his rescue, Alves described his survival as a rare moment of hope during an otherwise overwhelming tragedy.
“Right now, with all the tragedy of the earthquake, it’s one positive thing in all the bad,” she said.
Tags: Venezuela, Caraballeda, Earthquake, Animal Rescue, McDonald’s, Buddy, Angel Matute, Emergency Response, Natural Disaster, Veterinary Care, Search and Rescue, Americas
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