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Australian canine castaway found
BBC ^ | 6 April 2009 | staff reporter

Posted on 04/07/2009 5:13:55 PM PDT by Daffynition

Pet dog Sophie Tucker was found on a remote Australian island

A pet dog which was washed overboard and believed drowned has been found four months later - as a castaway on a remote Australian island.

Sophie Tucker - named after the famous US entertainer - vanished as Jan and Dave Griffith sailed through stormy waters off Queensland last November.

But unknown to her grieving owners, the plucky dog survived a long swim across shark-infested waters to an island.

There she lived on a diet of baby goats until being found by visiting rangers.

The Griffiths were amazed to hear of the discovery and have now been reunited with their pet.

"She surprised us all," said Jan Griffith.

"She was a house dog and look what she's done, she has swum over five nautical miles, she has managed to live off the land all on her own. We wish she could talk, we truly do."

Sailing holiday

The Griffiths had been on a sailing holiday off the north-east Queensland coast when Sophie Tucker - an Australian cattle dog - was lost overboard.

"We hit a rough patch and when we turned around the dog was gone," Mrs Griffith said.

"We were able to back-track to look for her, but because it was a grey day, we just couldn't find her and we searched for well over an hour.

"We thought that once she had hit the water she would have been gone because the wake from the boat was so big."

But the hardy dog had swum five nautical miles to be washed up on the largely uninhabited St Bees Island.

There, Sophie Tucker survived on a diet of baby goats until rangers, who patrol the island, spotted her.

[snip]

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Weather
KEYWORDS: australia; cattledog; dog; queensland

1 posted on 04/07/2009 5:13:55 PM PDT by Daffynition
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Have You Seen Michael Edmonds? (Party to shooting of Marcus Luttrell’s Rehab Dog-TX)

2 posted on 04/07/2009 5:17:34 PM PDT by Daffynition ("Beauty is in the sty of the beholder." ~ Joe 6-pack)
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To: Daffynition

love this story though this is probably the 3rd or 4th time it was posted.

best part though is that it ate kids to survive.


3 posted on 04/07/2009 5:17:48 PM PDT by Vaquero ("an armed society is a polite society" Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: Daffynition

I love a good Dog Story. Cheers for that!

(Nice looking Blue Heeler. Real Aussie dog)


4 posted on 04/07/2009 5:19:13 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Daffynition

I’d bet on a queensland/blue heeler any day. They are amazing dogs.


5 posted on 04/07/2009 5:20:25 PM PDT by Duchess47 ("One day I will leave this world and dream myself to Reality" Crazy Horse)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

At least this one has a happy ending. ;)


6 posted on 04/07/2009 5:20:51 PM PDT by Daffynition ("Beauty is in the sty of the beholder." ~ Joe 6-pack)
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To: Daffynition

And another thing, no more dog food.


7 posted on 04/07/2009 5:21:37 PM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: Daffynition
Now THAT'S one for the book


8 posted on 04/07/2009 5:26:12 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: Vaquero

This canine specimen, would not have made it, LOL!

9 posted on 04/07/2009 5:39:35 PM PDT by MyTwoCopperCoins (I don't have a license to kill; I have a learner's permit.)
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To: Daffynition
"We wish she could talk, we truly do."

Or perhaps not:
Sophie probably would ask why they gave up looking for her so soon!

10 posted on 04/07/2009 5:39:53 PM PDT by Redbob (W.W.J.B.D.: "What Would Jack Bauer Do?")
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To: JoeProBono; Redbob
Blue heeler at work with goats.
11 posted on 04/08/2009 5:30:40 PM PDT by Daffynition ("Beauty is in the sty of the beholder." ~ Joe 6-pack)
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To: Daffynition
Tastes Like Chicken


12 posted on 04/08/2009 5:40:49 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

13 posted on 04/08/2009 5:58:28 PM PDT by Daffynition ("Beauty is in the sty of the beholder." ~ Joe 6-pack)
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To: Daffynition
The easy way


14 posted on 04/08/2009 6:56:38 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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