Omigosh--this is a wonderful story and a true testimonial to the power of a dog's spirit to survive. Read about Sophie's tale below. This Australian cattle dog fell overboard and in spite of her family's fervent attempts to save and rescue her, they were unable to find her in the rough waters. Sophie was just found on an uninhabited island--she had swam 5 miles through shark-infested waters and was living off the land. Excerpts below---see the article on
Overboard Dog Survives on Island for Months
Australian Family Says Dog Survived Miles-Long Swim, Island Life After Falling Into Ocean
By SARAH NETTERApril 7, 2009
Call Sophie Tucker a lucky dog, or at the very least, a resourceful one.
Sophie Tucker, apparently named after a late U.S. entertainer, fell overboard as Jan Griffith and her family sailed through choppy waters off the northeast Queensland coast in November. The dog was believed to have drowned, but was found four months later.
Sophie, an Australian cattle dog thrown overboard in rough waters off the coast of Queensland, Australia, four months ago, managed to swim several miles to shore and live off the land in her own version of "Survivor."
The dog was traveling with her family when their ship hit rough seas. According to the Agence France-Press, Sophie went over the side of the boat and, despite her family's attempts to rescue her, disappeared.
"We hit a rough patch and when we turned around, the dog was gone," owner Jan Griffith told The Courier Mail of Australia. "We searched for her for ages, it was terrible, we were convinced she had drowned."
