Dog Found Paddling Over a Mile Offshore Rescued in Florida

On July 28, a dog was found paddling over a mile offshore and rescued in Florida. The canine was believed to be lost at sea while she was out on a boat ride with her family. Fortunately, some Good Samaritans on a yacht spotted her paddling for life and promptly saved her. The Australian Cattle Dog or Blue Heeler is now reunited with her humans and is back home safe and sound.

Dog believed to be lost at sea rescued, found paddling for life over a mile offshore

On Sunday, a dinner cruise yacht’s passengers were in for a surprise. They noticed a dog swimming alone more than a mile away from the shores of Florida. The two-year-old canine named Eleanor, affectionately called Ellie by her parents, was first spotted by a couple aboard the yacht. She then came into the view of the captain of the boat, Captain Terry Johns. He told PEOPLE they were about a mile and a half away from the shore when they found her.

Ellie was getting dangerously close to the back of the yacht, so his co-captain, Kurt Echols, maneuvered it so that Johns could quickly grab her out of the water. The poor pup had been out in the sea, stranded and lost, for at least an hour. Unsurprisingly, the dog was relieved to be rescued after paddling offshore for so long.

After saving her, the yacht’s passengers gave her food and water. The captain noted that he was proud of his crew for using their training effectively. Ellie was then taken to a vet. While she was microchipped, it wasn’t functioning properly, so one of the crew members decided to take her home.

The canine was finally reunited with her family thanks to the help of a news agency. Ben and Kathleen Baker saw the news story and, after a few phone calls, brought Ellie back home. The Bakers were grateful the Good Samaritans rescued their dog after they found her paddling for her life more than a mile offshore.

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