Marooned Mutt

Posted on April 19, 2008
Filed Under General |

Palm trees swaying in the trades, gentle waves lapping on shore - sounds like a delightful way to spend an afternoon, or a few weeks if one has the opportunity. But, given the choice, would you forego the next four months to bask in all the South Pacific glory you can handle?

We would too! But a certain Canine Castaway may beg to differ. You see, Snickers - the 8 month old Cocker Spaniel - spent the last 4 months marooned on the small Pacific Island nation of Kiribati, about 1100 miles South of the Hawaii. Fanning Island, a sparsely populated atoll in the middle of the largest ocean on Earth, had the pleasure of hosting Snickers’ extended stay. As fate would have it, Snickers and his sailing companion, Gulliver, had the misfortune of landing upon this desolate rock only after enduring the 3 previous months adrift in the Pacific! Their original owners had to abandon their prize pooch and stunning Macaw after hitching a ride with a supply ship headed for the US Mainland. We guess they had enough of the island life, drifting hopelessly in the Pacific will do that. One problem though, the ship was not having anything to do with Snickers, or Gulliver. They were not welcome aboard, and forced to endure the next 4 months marooned on this tiny windblown volcanic island. Now already having a penchant for the tropics, we’re sure Gulliver caught on with a local crew and maybe found himself an Island girl to settle down with, it is springtime…But Snickers wasn’t home, Fanning Island is no place for a haole Cocker Spaniel.

Through yet another twist of fate in this young mutt’s life, a guardian angle by the name of Jack Joslin caught a whiff of the story. The rest is history. From Jack’s legwork, the Hawaiian Humane Society, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Hawaiian Airlines all mobilized to lend a paw to the marooned mutt. Earlier this week Snickers was the honored guest aboard the Pride of Aloha, finally steaming away from his former beachside accommodations. Sailing, shuffleboard, midnight kibble buffets - this is what this young pooch was planning for when they set sail across the Pacific for the first time, not the canine version of Castaway. And forget about the media attention, Snickers just wants to get back to normal. What of Gulliver you ask, well last we heard the Macaw Militia is amassing forces to go in and rescue their fallen flyer. The bird lobby is following in Mr. Joslin’s paw prints, face man Peter Foreman plans on mobilizing forces to get Gulliver off that island and back to the mainland. You see, he may have to take somewhat of a more circuitous route back into the country. The plan is Christmas Island, then onto the Port of Los Angeles - one of two U.S. ports to accept exotic birds. Surely there will be bureaucratic roadblocks, but we have faith in our feathery friends.

Muttspace would like to recognize the effort and love put forth by everyone involved, especially Jack Joslin for his unrelenting networking. Congratulations Jack, Snickers is a gift!! Big thanks to CAPT. Evans Hoyt - skipper of the Pride of Aloha, a true salty sea dog! And to the rest of the Pride of Aloha crew!!! Hawaiian Humane Society doing what they do best. Saving lives, one animal at a time. Mahalo!

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