They did not hesitate for even a second.
When the ground stopped shaking in Cali, a group of people went into the remains of a collapsed home without knowing what they would find. The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that shook Colombia on August 10 had turned that house into rubble, but below, trapped between blocks and dust, a dog was still breathing.
They pulled him out carefully, amid shouts of encouragement and hands taking turns so as not to let go. “Thank God he could be rescued”, said one of the men who took part, while the video —later shared on TikTok— showed the exact moment the animal came out alive. As soon as his paws touched solid ground, the entire group burst into applause.
No one knew him. No one knew his name. But that afternoon, amid the remains of a tragedy, a group of strangers decided that dog was not going to stay down there.