A 51-year-old Australian sailor and his dog were rescued off the coast of Mexico after three months adrift at sea and traveling 1200 nautical miles. Tim Shaddock and his dog Bella, both from Sydney, survived by eating raw fish and drinking rain water.
According to News9Australia, the doctors who examined Shaddock, said he had “normal vital signs” and that Bella was “stable and very well.” Shaddock and Bella had been sailing on their catamaran from La Paz in Mexico to French Polynesia when their boat had been severely damaged from a storm they encountered, leaving them unable to move and having no choice other than to wait for a rescue. It had been three months at sea when a helicopter accompanying a tuna trawler on Wednesday, spotted the two on the boat in the middle of the ocean.
Shaddock had found Bella as a stray while traveling in Mexico. When he couldn’t find anyone to adopt the dog before he left on his trip, and she kept following him, he decided to take Bella with him. And Shaddock never stops thanking Bella for her companionship. It had been partly the dog’s heart and perseverance that Shaddock contributes to his survival.
Shaddock decided to leave Bella with the captain of the ship that saved the two and who promised to give Bella a happy and loving home. Shaddock said he worried that the trip back to Australia would be too stressful for the dog as well as Australia’s very strict animal importation laws. Pet owners are only allowed to bring in animals to the country from approved countries once they are medically sound and approved. Mexico is not one of the approved states.
Bella has since been adopted by Genaro Rosales, a member of the crew who is a “dog lover” and had been one of the first to have contact with the dog when the two had been rescued – hugging her and giving her the immediate attention she needed.
And when English broadcaster, adventurer and dog lover Ben Fogle read about the amazing rescue, Fogle has offered to pay for Bella to be reunited.
I was so moved and inspired by the story of time and bella that i want to help them to be reunited again. I would like to offer to pay for the quarantine and travel of bella to australia to help tim Shaddock.
Instagram Ben Fogle
We will keep an ear open to what happens. Meanwhile, Bella seems to be doing fine.
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I’m very sorry but Bella needs to be with Tim! She literally chose Tim to be her family! Not anyone else. They went through hell and high-water together. They need each other! Dogs, like humans, do NOT forget that kind of bond. She will be looking and waiting for Tim to return. It’s not fair or right to do this to Bella or Tim after what they went through together!! The family can adopt another dog that would absolutely love and need, a forever home. By the way is this family keeping Bella outside? A few of my Hispanic friends said this is common? That is quite cruel and appalling to keep a dog outside. Please return Bella to Tim.