Police Find Dog That Went Missing For 16 Days Swimming At Jersey Shore

Updated September 8, 2021

As much as we find that dogs want nothing more than our love and affection, sometimes the wrong situation can lead them to run away from us.

Whether it's because they saw something that they really wanted to chase or something they needed to get away from, a fun day at the park can suddenly turn into a stressful situation when they turn loose.

But while I once spent about a half an hour trying to chase down a friend's dog, I can at least say it was in my sight while it was running wild. I can only imagine how hopeless things must feel when that dog disappears completely.

Although that was precisely the situation that struck one dog and his family, it's hard to ask for a better resolution than a pair of state police troopers in New Jersey were able to give them.

On June 6, a three-year-old golden retriever named Chunk was playing fetch with his owners in Brick, New Jersey.

Reddit | cb90293

As People reported, however, something apparently spooked him enough to send him running into the woods and off to parts unknown.

In the 16 days since that occurred, a local, multi-faceted campaign was underway to find Chunk.

Reddit | InternationalPeak944

According to People, this involved social media chains, collaboration from local police departments, and an array of baited traps and trail cameras.

However, there was no sign of him until the morning of June 22, when two joggers spotted him while crossing the Mantoloking Bridge near the Jersey Shore.

Unfortunately, they weren't able to approach him before he became spooked again and jumped into the Barnegat Bay.

By the time State Troopers Ryan Koehler and Vincent Ferdinandi arrived on the scene, he had swum nearly two miles across the bay.

Facebook | New Jersey State Police

So they used a 22-foot motorboat to reach the dog, at which point they guided him about 75 yards to the shore and used a line to lift him onto a dock.

As Ferdinandi said, "He was extremely tired. Definitely malnourished, hungry."

Once again, their presence made Chunk timid but the pair were able to keep him by their sides until his family showed up and reunited with him.

And now Chunk is back with his owners after spending over two weeks missing.

Koehler told People that he could sympathize as he has a rescue shephard/lab mix of his own and knows how awful it would feel if his dog disappeared for such a long time.

As for Ferdinandi, he said, "To see the sigh of relief that a part of their family was back was unbelievable, and the dog was happy to see his family as well."

h/t: People

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