Rescue
Surfers find ‘cold’ and ‘starving’ dog who was missing for 3 months
It was an unexpected twist in the surfers' trip when they spotted an underfed dog in a cave. They soon discovered she had been missing for months.
Alissa Gaskell
09.08.20

Incredible adventures happen when we least expect it.

You could be exploring the woods one minute and be met with unexpected animal sightings the next, or you could be getting lost in a foreign land and meet the acquaintance of an aristocrat.

Photo by Luis Quintero from Pexels
Source:
Photo by Luis Quintero from Pexels

But often, you don’t even have to look far.

Chances are, adventure will find you even in the most ordinary circumstances.

Photo by Viktoria Alipatova from Pexels
Source:
Photo by Viktoria Alipatova from Pexels

You could be right in the middle of your hometown just going about your usual activities when something catches you off guard. You never really know what awaits you in the next corner.

That’s why it’s important to keep your eyes and ears open.

Photo by Lucas Allmann from Pexels
Source:
Photo by Lucas Allmann from Pexels

This is what Zach Regan and Matty Johnson experienced.

The unexpected twist in their escapade led to one amazing thing after another.

Photo by Khairul Leon from Pexels
Source:
Photo by Khairul Leon from Pexels

What was supposed to be another usual overnight surfing trip in Canda turned out to be an extraordinary day for animal rescue.

Photo by Jess Vide from Pexels
Source:
Photo by Jess Vide from Pexels

The two friends were ready for a fun trip. Their car was filled with camping and fishing essentials, and they also had their surfboards. They were headed to Vancouver Island where they planned on camping.

Video Screenshot
Source:
Video Screenshot

It was when the two were out on their boat when they spotted something strange.

“Glancing in the caves as we were going by, I saw tan legs kinda walk out.”

Photo by c1n3ma from Pexels
Source:
Photo by c1n3ma from Pexels

The unusual sight led them to a scared and malnourished puppy.

“She was starving. She was so skinny, bones sticking out. I don’t know how long she’d been in the cave, but she didn’t have much longer left, that’s for sure.”

Video Screenshot
Source:
Video Screenshot

Ignoring the fact that they were trying to beat a forthcoming storm, the men immediately approached the cave to help the poor dog.

Video Screenshot
Source:
Video Screenshot

It seemed as though its owner was nowhere in sight so Matty immediately paddled out on his surfboard to see what he could do for the frightened animal.

“All I had was a leash and some neoprene armor on, and I was like ‘Ahh, I don’t know how this is going to go.'”

Video Screenshot
Source:
Video Screenshot

Matty gently tried to reach out to weak, reluctant dog.

With a little bit of coaxing, he was able to gain its trust and guide it up his surfboard.

Video Screenshot
Source:
Video Screenshot

When the dog was safely balanced, Matty paddled back to the boat where Zach was waiting. They recalled just how frail the dog was.

“I slipped her off the board to get her to Zach. She just went under. It was crazy. She was just sinking. Head underwater, going down.”

They saw to it that the dog was secure on the boat, and Matty comforted her by holding her close.

Video Screenshot
Source:
Video Screenshot

Then they made sure the dog stayed warm by keeping it all bundled up in a life jacket, carefully positioned inside a surf bag so she could stay safe and comfortable throughout the boat ride.

Photo submitted by Zach Regan to Victoria News
Source:
Photo submitted by Zach Regan to Victoria News

It turns out the scared, starving pup had been abandoned for three months already.

This animal rescue story was aired on CTV and as luck would have it, a friend of the dog owner was able to watch it. Shortly after, the owner contacted Zach about the dog.

Photo submitted by Zach Regan to Victoria News
Source:
Photo submitted by Zach Regan to Victoria News

The owners didn’t intend to leave the dog in the cave. It was when they were enjoying a nice hike along the Juan de Fuca trail that Stella the dog took off. They searched for months on end to no avail.

Video Screenshot
Source:
Video Screenshot

If not for the brave pair who did what they could to rescue Stella, the poor dog would have starved to death in that cave.

Photo submitted by Zach Regan to Victoria News
Source:
Photo submitted by Zach Regan to Victoria News

Thanks to Matty and Zach, Stella was reunited with her family again.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Advertisement