Mexico's beloved rescue dog Frida dies at 13 years old

The yellow labrador gained fame when she became a symbol of hope after Mexico’s September 19, 2017 earthquake

By Katarina Hall

November 16, 2022 7:02pm

Updated: November 17, 2022 8:52am

Mexico’s famous search and rescue dog Frida passed away at 13 years old from natural causes, Mexico’s navy announced on Tuesday.

The yellow labrador gained fame when she became a symbol of hope after Mexico’s September 19, 2017 earthquake, which left more than 300 dead.

Wearing goggles and neoprene booties, Frida’s image was spread throughout the internet and was painted in murals across Mexico City.

Frida (known as Marina-chan in Japan), a Labrador retriever rescue dog that gained fame in the days following Mexico's Sept. 19, 2017, earthquake passed away.

Frida became a symbol of hope after saving +50 people in Mexico City. #news pic.twitter.com/1iufnxs1al
— anizeen.com 🌸 (@anizeen) November 16, 2022

Despite not finding any trapped survivors in the 2017 earthquake, Frida found at least 43 dead bodies and a dozen people alive throughout her career as a search and rescue dog.

Frida’s career started in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake that hit the country. She helped find and rescue at least 12 people. In 2017, she was sent to Ecuador to help with the rescue efforts after a devastating landslide.

Frida retired in June 2019, at ten years old.

Frida, the rescue dog who became world famous in 2017 as the embodiment of rescue efforts in the wake of the Sept. 19 Mexico City earthquake, has passed away. She was 13 years old. pic.twitter.com/bhbHDh4Ox1
— Jan-Albert Hootsen (@jahootsen) November 15, 2022

The navy posted a video on Twitter honoring Frida for her service to the country. The Navy said it will remember Frida for her "independence, concentration, balanced temperament, fearlessness, curiosity," as well as her "empathy towards people."

Frida has "given hope to thousands of Mexican families in the most pressing moments," the head of Mexico's Navy, Jose Rafael Ojeda, said about the famous four-legged friend.

Last month, a life-size statue of Frida was unveiled outside the Navy’s main office in Mexico City, in what became one of the labrador's last public appearances.