A dog was found and rescued while swimming dozens of kilometers from shore. What his rescuers didn’t know was that the canine’s family had been looking for him for over 2 weeks.
Early in the morning of Tuesday, June 22, 2 joggers saw a Golden Retriever alone on the Mantoloking Bridge, spanning Barnegat Bay in New Jersey. They then tried to approach the dog to help him, but the latter got scared and jumped into the water. The runners immediately called for help.
Police officers Ryan Koehler and Vincent Ferdinandi arrived at the scene and launched their inflatable boat. They sailed until they reached the quadruped, which was about 70 meters from shore, then boarded it and brought it back to dry land. The dog was exhausted and hungry. The police did not know it yet, but they had just rescued an animal that had been missing for 16 days. His family were desperately looking for him.
Disappeared in the woods, found at sea
On June 6, this 3-year-old Golden Retriever called Chunk was playing with his handlers, Marie and James Zangara , at the family home when he was presumably frightened by something. He then ran away and rushed into the woods, never to reappear since.
The Zangara looked for him everywhere. They solicited social networks, the police, the neighborhood. Trap cages were installed and surveillance cameras used. No result.
It was therefore only thanks to the joggers, then to the New Jersey police officers, that Chunk’s mad run ended, after more than 2 weeks. He was finally able to find his owners.
Also read: A foster mother cries for 4 days at the idea of parting with a dog, but her life changes forever when she tries to call the adopter (video)
“ Seeing the sigh of relief because a family member was back was amazing, and the dog was also happy to see his family again, ” Vincent Ferdinandi told People .
Related articles
