:)Good news story from today's Melb Herald Sun. :)
Bundy bobs up safe
By MATTHEW SCHULZ
05feb06
BUNDY the Jack Russell is possibly Melbourne's luckiest dog after being plucked dogpaddling 3km offshore in the middle of Port Phillip Bay.
Owner Jack Skrzelinski said it appeared his best friend leapt from his 4.2m fishing boat about 11am, but he did not notice until a rendezvous with other mates about 11.15am.
"We saw a few birds and penguins out there afterwards, so I reckon he might have made a bolt for them," the Avondale Heights truckie said.
"Or maybe it was a catfish or something," he said.
"I definitely thought we'd lost him," fellow crew member Sandro De Luca said.
The plucky dog paddled in rough 1.5m seas for up to 45 minutes, while a police water search-and-rescue crew hunted for him.
But it was a group of international pleasure seekers who rescued Bundy and carried him back to the St Kilda Marina.
New Zealand-born Graham Vanderwater had guests from France, Holland, South Africa and Australia in his powerboat and was tailing the ABN Amro 1 ocean racer visiting Melbourne, when one noticed a strange object bobbing in the water.
"I thought it was a seal or maybe a shark," said Clive Andenorff, of South Africa.
"But when we stopped it was a dog that swam towards us, and we picked him up and wrapped him in a towel."
"He was pretty tired. He looked like Ian Thorpe after the 800m."
The international rescue party called police for a lively rendezvous with Bundy's owner at a St Kilda cafe.
Mr Skrzelinski said Bundy was named after the dog's favourite rum. He expected to reward his pet with a little of the precious fluid on his return home.
He sure is one lucky dog not have become shark fodder out there IMHO! :o