Snickers Crusoe - Castaway Dog that was Rescued

by BW Media on 20 Apr 2008 Some people have amazing lives of adventure and survival, but here's an eight-month-old cocker spaniel who sailed the Pacific, was wrecked on a reef, swam to shore, survived by fending for himself - just like the original Crusoe - and has finally been rescued by a Los Angeles man pining for his own lost dog.

His original owners, who also swam to shore, were rescued by a cargo ship but could not take the dog with them

Today, Snickers, the hardy surviver, is in Honolulu, after also surviving much red tape to get him through Customs and Immigration.

As AP reports from Honolulu,'It's an amazing story of a lot of people working together to save this puppy,' said Evans Hoyt, captain of Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of Aloha. 'He's a very, very lucky dog.'

Snickers' ordeal began when his owners catamaran began experiencing mast problems after setting off from California, said Gina Baurile of the Hawaiian Humane Society.

The boat drifted to Fanning Island where it hit a reef and the dog's owners, Jerry and Darla Merrow, swam 200 metres to shore with Snickers and their parrot, Gulliver. They left the island soon after on a cargo vessel leaving their pets in the care of islanders, Baurile said.

Efforts to contact the Merrows have been unsuccessful.

Robby Coleman, who owns a sail boat off Fanning Island then started watching out for the dog and parrot on the island, Forman said.

'Robby put out the SOS and a lot of people got involved,' Forman said.

After being contacted by Formans wife the Hawaiian Humane Society took the lead on Snickers rescue and organised for a ship to be sent out to Fanning Island to pick up the dog, said Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman Krislyn Hashimoto.

Las Vegas pet lover Jack Joslin read about Snickers' saga in a boating journal and called the Hawaiian Humane Society to find out how he could rescue the pets. Honolulu TV and print media also have picked up the story in recent days.

'I was willing to spend whatever it took, but because so many people got involved willingly, it turned out not to cost me much at all,' said Joslin.

Norwegian Cruise Line had offered to pick up Snickers, and Hawaiian Airlines volunteered to fly him to the mainland for free.

Snickers got a trim and flea treatment before boarding. Getting the canine cleared for travel involved the Hawaiian Humane Society, state agencies and the Department of Homeland Security.

The pup was living in luxury for the last week as the first pet on the Pride of Aloha. He was a little uneasy with all the attention, but he is a much different dog now than when the cruise ship first came to his rescue, according to crew members.

He was 'very unsure of himself and a little bit suspicious of people, and it was amazing how just in the course of the first 24 hours and day by day he turned right around,' said Hoyt.

The cruise may be over, but the crew won't soon forget the pooch they pampered.

'There were some people who were very sad to see him go. He's a little heart-stealer, that one,' said Hoyt.

Joslin said he hoped to fly the dog to Los Angeles today.

Fanning Island is one of 33 scattered coral atolls that make up the nation of Kiribati.