Blake The Rescue Dog Euthanised After Battle With Cancer
Blake, who shot to fame after its involvement in the Batang Kali landslide search and rescue mission, failed to respond to cancer treatments.
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Search and rescue (SAR) dog Blake joined the fire and rescue department in 2017. The English Springer Spaniel from the UK shot to fame when they were one of the dogs tasked to search for victims in the Batang Kali landslide on 16 December 2023.
READ MORE: Last Victim Of Batang Kali Landslide Found, A Recap Of The 16 Dec Tragedy
Blake made headlines when they passed out from exhaustion after days of tirelessly trying to locate victims trapped under mud and soil in Batang Kali. Blake’s story garnered tributes from Malaysians who hailed the dog as a hero.
Sadly, its hero journey has come to an end. Blake was euthanized on 18 September at 4.38pm after a battle with lymphoma, a form of cancer.
Blake was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma cancer on 15 August 2023. He received treatment at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) veterinary faculty, but failed to respond to medication and treatment.
With the cancer aggressively spreading throughout its body, it was decided that euthanasia was a kinder way for Blake to “retire” as painlessly as possible.
After a discussion with UPM veterinary expert Dr Nur Alimah Rahman, the department agreed to euthanise Blake due to his sudden deteriorating health. The decision was made as there was no hope of recovery and (the department wanted) to prevent Blake from suffering more pain.
Local government development ministry (KPKT)
Blake has been awarded for his services before
Due to Blake’s services, the dog had been awarded the “Golden Performance” medal by local government development minister Nga Kor Ming on 9 January.
Blake was also awarded the “Hero Malaysia” medal of appreciation by the animal rights society Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) on 13 January for its heroic deeds at the Batang Kali landslide.
READ MORE: 6 Dogs Of Batang Kali SAR Team Awarded With “Hero Malaysia” Medals
Blake has been a part of several high-profile rescue missions. In memory of Blake’s service as a rescue dog, here are some of the missions it had been on:
- Locating victims in Batang Kali landslide
- Locating drowning victims at Tol Batu 13, Lorong 16, Kampung Kenangan, Selangor
- Part of the water search and rescue mission near Yan, Kedah
- Helped scan the location of trapped victims in Kampung Temelong, Karak, Pahang
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