https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBX6leF1V3c
You know those stories about pets who disappear for years only to return and ask “what’d I miss and where’s my dinner?” Here’s another one. Just one little, difference, though: this story of a dog who was lost at sea for more than five weeks isn’t just heartwarming, it’s miraculous.
Luna’s a 1-year-old German shepherd who belongs to California fisherman Nick Haworth. In February, the dog accompanied Haworth as he worked on a boat near San Clemente Island. That’s when tragedy struck. Luna fell overboard and disappeared into the water, leaving no trace behind. Haworth, of course, was panicked and enlisted as much help as he could. But as the Associated Press reports, after two days of searching for the dog, she was presumed lost to the sea, probably drowned despite Haworth’s insistence that she was a strong swimmer and could have made it the distance between where he was working and the island, which was two miles away. Authorities weren’t so sure.
Flash forward to Tuesday when Luna, a little thinner but not unhealthy, was found chilling on the island. What was most surprising was that officials on the island — a naval training center — had searched for her previously and found nothing, and yet there she was, wagging her tail and waiting to go home earlier this week. Apparently, Luna was done eating “rodents” and “dead fish that had washed up on shore” and was ready for some Puppy Chow.
According to the Associated Press, Haworth was overwhelmed and couldn’t wait to get back together with his beloved pet. Luna was flown back to shore Wednesday and will be cared for by Haworth’s best friend until her owner can drive back and get her tonight. But she didn’t just do it all for nothing. Luna got a special gift from the military for her bravery, strong will, and ability to eat dead fish without cooking them first:
Her dog tag was lost but the Navy gave her a new one, DeMunnik [the biologist who examined Luna] said.
Along with her name, it bears a key lesson in the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) course taught on the island to Navy and Marine personnel. The tag reads: “Keep the Faith.”
See Luna being reunited with the people she loves above!
(h/t Mashable)
