The other day, Bryn Crowell and a few friends were enjoying a day on a boat off the coast of Florida when something in the water caught her eye. As the boat driver slowed and circled back, Crowell assumed someone aboard must have lost their hat.
“My first thought was, ‘Woah, that hat looks like a dog,’” Crowell told The Dodo. “Another second later, I realized it WAS a dog!”
How the dog had gotten there, far from shore, was anyone’s guess. But without hesitating, one of Crowell’s friends leaped in to save the struggling pup.
The little dog was shaken up but was nevertheless lucky to be alive.
“You could tell he just had the swim of his life,” Crowell said.
Fortunately, the dog, named Zuko, was wearing a collar with his owner’s contact info on it.
“We called and could hear that they were crying and upset on the phone call,” Crowell said.
Turns out, Zuko’s owners were out on a boat that day, too. Somehow, their dog had managed to fall overboard without them noticing in time. Thanks to Crowell and her friends, Zuko’s life had been saved.
“When we returned Zuko, we could see [his owners] holding him close and crying,” Crowell said.
The owners later messaged to express their gratitude and to explain how frantic they’d been when they realized Zuko was missing:
Zuko’s owners also sent a photo of a new purchase they’d made which will help to ensure Zuko’s safety while out on the water going forward.
What could have easily resulted in tragedy for the little dog wound up having a happy ending. Crowell and her friends are just happy they were able to help Zuko when he needed them most.
“I’ve been on boats and in the ocean my whole life and have never seen something like it,” Crowell said.
