Pooch Survives Weeks Alone at Sea, Then Wild Dog Attack

They say a cat has nine lives. If the same applies to dogs, a pooch named Dingo has seven left.

Last January, the starving Dingo-Lab mix was discovered all alone, curled up on a sailboat anchored off the coast of the Bahamas.

When Nathan Moody, a volunteer for a rescue group that saves distressed sailors, climbed aboard the abandoned boat, at first he thought the dog was dead.

Dingo had been first mate to his dog dad, 72-year-old John Batchelor of Canada, on their annual voyages from Ontario to the Bahamas.

According to the Toronto Star, Batchelor was last seen three weeks before Dingo was found, in the same spot the sailboat was anchored. His friends speculated that Batchelor possibly dove under the vessel to cut a tangled rope that was slowing their progress, and then he could not climb back into the boat.

Dingo survived by eating leftover food. He was severely dehydrated and too weak to walk when Moody found him.

“I rushed Dingo to the vet that day; he was very malnourished and dehydrated,” Moody wrote in a note posted on the Cruising Canada website. “He also has several deeps cuts on his hind legs. After three days on a IV he was able to keep food down.”

The Toronto Star reported that veterinarians were “confounded” over the fact that Dingo was able to survive for a week without water and even longer without food. He has made a complete recovery and was adopted by Moody.

But it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the pooch since then. WECT reported yesterday that Dingo was attacked by wild dogs a few weeks ago. Moody’s other dog chased off the pack and wasn’t hurt, but Dingo suffered severe injuries to his leg.

Since only basic veterinary care was available near Moody’s residence in the Bahamas, his brother, Rob, brought Dingo to veterinarian Michele Rohrer in Wilmington, N.C. He was worried that Dingo’s leg would need to be amputated, but Rohrer assured him that it wouldn’t be necessary. She said the prognosis for the dog is “good,” according to WECT.

Nathan Moody is now preparing to move to the United States, where Dingo will hopefully live the rest of his life happily – and safely – ever after.

PHOTO: Facebook

Laura Goldman

Laura Goldman is senior social media writer for i Love Dogs, Inc. She does love dogs. And elephants and turtles. Along with writing about the loves of her life, Laura likes to play with her two pound pups and tell anyone who’ll listen just how awesome Pit Bulls are.