Zeus, a 6-year-old police dog, once called ‘Si Raul’ from the word ‘siraulo’ for constantly biting his previous owner, was recently awarded a medal for locating two landslide victims in Loacan, Itogon, Benguet, during a 3-day search and retrieval operation from August 17 to 20.
Zeus, a Belgian Malinois took the stage at Camp Major Bado Dangwa to receive his Outstanding Service Medal and Certificate of Recognition on September 6.
In an interview with the dog’s handler, Patrolman Cyrus Backeng of the Regional EOD and Canine Unit Cordillera, he recounted that the victims’ relatives during the operation said that they last saw the victims under a huge stone before the landslide covered them. This was later confirmed by Zeus.
“Pagpunta namin ni Zeus, naamoy niya ‘yung gilid ng bato at ‘yung tubig kumahol na siya na nagi-indicate na positive ‘yung naamoy niya,” Cyrus narrated.
This was why the bodies of the victims buried by the landslide were recovered.
While Zeus is now a hero dog, Cyrus said that Zeus had a rough start and that when he took the dog from his friend in 2016 and continued training him, he had been biting them. However, his biting behavior didn’t last long and now he even plays with children.
Meanwhile, Zeus’ previous owner, Ruben Ventura who is among the ‘Dog Men’ in Baguio City narrated that he met Zeus when he was looking for a dog appropriate for the Cordillera Search and Rescue K9 Team in 2015.
Back then, he didn’t have enough budget to look for a dog fit for the training this was why he contacted his mentor and also one of Baguio’s ‘Dog Men’ who was in Bamban, Tarlac to ask for help.
In July 2015, Ruben then traveled to the mountains in Tarlac to see Zeus. However, when he arrived, he saw a malnourished Belgian Malinois without fur on his ear. He didn’t have any idea that his friend and mentor was having financial difficulty.
“Naghirap ang kaibigan ko kasama ng mga aso niya, kasama si Zeus, walang iwanan,” he said, emphasizing that Zeus was not abused, contrary to previous reports.
Even though there was only a month before the training for Cordillera Search and Rescue K9 Team, he fell in love with Zeus, and even though the dog was not the one he expected, he willingly took him home to Baguio.
When Zeus was finally in Baguio, Ruben treated him, giving him medicines and supplements until he got healthy. At a point, the pooch almost didn’t make it. His body was so weak that Ruben thought he would not make it that night.
“Sabi ko wala na. Kinaumagahan nung bubuksan ko ‘yung pinto kung saan ko siya nilagay nakabara siya, kala ko patay na siya, ‘yun pala nakaupo na siya sa busog,” he said and right at that point, he called Zeus a ‘Strong Heart’.
Then August 15, 2015, came. Zeus had his first training with the Cordillera Search and Rescue K9 Team. Ruben described what he and Zeus only had at that time was the trust they have for each other that they are going to make it through the training.
As the training went on, Zeus’ energy started to show, “Nabansagan na siyang "Si Raul", sira ulo kasi siya dahil lagi niya akong kinakagat,” he narrated, adding that he understands the behavior because the dog he had taken with him was a protection dog.
Zeus becoming a rescue dog
Sometime in 2016, Ruben had to make a hard decision because he had to leave Baguio for work. Though it was heartbreaking to let Zeus go, Ruben knew that his dog will be in good hands with his friend, Patrolman Cyrus.
He said he is confident that Zeus will be taken cared of even with his biting attitude at times, “hindi nga ako nagkamali, hindi nagkamali si Zeus kung kanino sasama.”
With Zeus' recent accomplishment, Ruben was not surprised because he knew what the dog was capable of with the right person.
“Sobrang proud ako kay Zeus, sobrang proud ako sa kaibigan kong si Bum [Pat Cyrus], dahil kung walang Zeus at walang Bum, walang accomplishments, pero hindi na ako nagulat,” he expressed.
Meantime, Zeus is now in his 3 years of service as a rescue dog.
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