Dog Dies of Exhaustion After Rescuing People from Earthquake Rubble in Ecuador

Hero dog who rescued seven people trapped under the earthquake rubble in Ecuador has died.

Dayko, according to several reports, has suffered massive coronary myocardial infarction and acute respiratory failure due to exhaustion and severe heat.

He died, even after veterinarians tried to save his life after he collapsed.

The labrador was part of the rescue team who saved lives of people who were left under the debris when Ecuador was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that left the country devastated.

"We regret to inform you that today the [fire service] is in mourning because [we] just lost Dayko who participated in the work of searching in Pedernales. This four legged friend gave his life in the line of duty. Thank you Dayko for your heroic efforts in Pedernales and in various emergencies where you were present," the City ofIbarra Fire Department said, in a Facebook post.

In addition,photos of the four-year-old hero dog was posted on social media as tribute to his heroism.

According to Huffingtonpost, Dayko received a massive sendoff, with a funeral attended by dozens of firefighters and other rescue workers as well as his fellow rescue dogs.

More than 2,000 people were injured and at least 654 people have been killed, in the quake on April 16.

In a statement, Ecuador's Foreign Minister said the catastrophe is the worst tragedy Ecuador has experienced in 60 years. The earthquake is the deadliest to hit Ecuador since the 1979 temblor left hundreds of homes destroyed and thousands of people fearing for their lives.

Rescue/Disaster dogs, just like Dayko have long been used for rescue operation because of their instinct and ablity to sniff human scent. According to United States Search and Rescue Task Force, "a disaster dog is trained to find human scent in very unnatural environments, including collapsed structures and areas effected by tornadoes, earthquakes and other disasters. This dog is trained to work on unstable surfaces, in small, confined spaces and other settings not usually found in the wilderness."