‘n Suid-Afrikaanse soek-en-reddingspan se beplande ontplooiing na Venezuela ná die verwoestende aardbewings is op die nippertjie gekanselleer nadat ‘n internasionale lugredery na bewering geweier het om die span se reddingshonde te vervoer.
James Smart sê alles was gereed vir die sending, met permitte, visums, befondsing en vlugte wat reeds gereël is. Die span het Saterdag by die lughawe aangekom, maar die sending moes laat vaar word toe ‘n lugredery na bewering geweier het om die drie reddingshonde op die laaste been van die reis na Venezuela te vervoer. Volgens Smart het die besluit die hele ontplooiing gekelder, ondanks die ondersteuning van verskeie organisasies en staatsinstellings wat gehelp het om die sending moontlik te maak.
Hy doen nou ‘n beroep op internasionale lugrederye om met Suid-Afrikaanse soek-en-reddingsorganisasies saam te werk sodat reddingspanne en hul honde in die toekoms vinniger na rampgebiede ontplooi kan word.
Lees Smart se volledige plasing in Engels hier onder:
11 days after the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, I finally find myself sitting at home.
I’m frustrated. I’m heartbroken. I’m disappointed. And, if I’m honest, I’m also angry.
But more than anything else, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.
Just two days after the earthquake, SMART TAC Search and Rescue received an urgent request to assemble a K9 Search and Rescue team to deploy to Venezuela.
Within one hour, four volunteer handlers and three operational search dogs had committed to go. They had obtained permission from incredibly understanding employers, packed their bags, left their families, and stood ready to fly across the world to help complete strangers they had never met.
That alone says everything about the people I have the privilege of standing beside.
To every member of our combined Smart Tac Search and Rescue and K9 Search and Rescue Association of South Africa (K9SARA) team… thank you.
You never once asked, “What’s in it for me?”
You simply asked, “When do we leave?”
You represent everything that is good about volunteer search and rescue. Your willingness to leave your families, your jobs and your own lives behind at a moment’s notice to help complete strangers is something I will never forget. I could not be prouder to stand beside each and every one of you.
The next hurdle was moving three working search dogs across continents during an international disaster response.
What happened next was nothing short of extraordinary.
The teams at @South African State Veterinary Services and the Department of Agriculture worked tirelessly to make what initially seemed impossible become possible. Every permit, every special dispensation and every obstacle was dealt with professionally, urgently and with genuine compassion.
A very special thank you goes to Cara and the incredible team Animal Travel Services. Cara became the conductor of an incredibly complicated orchestra, coordinating government departments, permits, quarantine requirements and international logistics, never once giving up despite the constantly changing challenges.
Then there was the impossible task of actually getting us there.
Enter the incredible Petrie Sinclair from @travel counsellors South Africa.
For days, Petrie worked around the clock trying to unravel one of the most complicated flight itineraries imaginable. Every time another obstacle appeared, she simply found another solution. She never stopped believing we could make it happen, and neither did we.
We also owe enormous thanks to FIRST ASCENT, who immediately stepped forward and sponsored bags and clothing for the deployment at incredibly short notice. It’s companies like these that understand what supporting humanitarian response really means.
A heartfelt thank you also goes to Ashraful Aid, who generously committed the funding needed to make this deployment possible. Without organisations willing to stand behind humanitarian missions like this, volunteer teams simply cannot answer the call when disaster strikes. Your belief in our team and your willingness to help people on the other side of the world means more than words can express.
By Friday evening, against all odds, everything had come together.
The permits were approved.
The visas were arranged.
The funding was secured.
The flights were booked.
The bags were packed.
The dogs were ready.
On Saturday morning we arrived at the airport believing we were finally on our way.
Then everything fell apart.
The first airline accepted the dogs without hesitation.
However, despite previously confirming they would transport them, Copa Airlines refused to carry our search dogs on the final leg into Venezuela.
Letters were written.
Phone calls were made.
Our travel specialists intervened.
The Venezuelan Ambassador personally intervened.
It was explained that these were certified Search and Rescue dogs deploying on a humanitarian mission to help earthquake victims.
The answer remained “No.”
No flexibility.
No compassion.
No willingness to assist.
I struggle to understand how, during an international humanitarian emergency, an airline can accept payment, confirm arrangements and then refuse to carry highly trained Search and Rescue dogs that were travelling solely to help save lives.
That decision ended our deployment.
Not because our volunteers weren’t ready.
Not because government departments failed.
Not because funding wasn’t available.
Not because Venezuela no longer wanted our help.
Simply because one airline refused to transport three search dogs.
That is incredibly difficult to accept.
To the people and authorities of Venezuela, I am profoundly sorry that we could not fulfil the promise we made. We remain with you in spirit, and our thoughts are with every family still living with the unimaginable consequences of this disaster.
Although we didn’t reach Venezuela, this experience taught us something incredibly important.
South Africa has people who are ready.
We have highly trained handlers.
We have exceptional search dogs.
We have government departments willing to move mountains.
We have generous organisations willing to fund deployments.
We have outstanding private companies willing to help.
What we do not have is an international airline partner prepared to stand alongside us when disaster strikes.
So today I have one request.
If anyone reading this has contacts within KLM Royal Dutch AirlinesKLM South Africa, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, or any other international airline, please send me a private message.
We are not asking for free flights.
We are asking to begin a conversation about creating a partnership or Memorandum of Understanding that allows South African Search and Rescue teams and their dogs to deploy quickly when the world calls for help.
Because the next earthquake, flood or building collapse is not a question of if.
It is a question of when.
And when that call comes, I never again want to have to tell a country in desperate need that we couldn’t come because we couldn’t find an airline willing to carry our dogs.
Please share this post. Together, perhaps we can find the airline partner that ensures the next time the world calls, South Africa’s search dogs and their handlers will be there.
