Dog Falls Off Boat, Swims 2 Miles To An Island, Survives 5 Weeks On Mice Before Being Rescued

March 5, 2018

An 18-month-old German Shepherd named Luna fell off a fishing boat in the Pacific Ocean, swam two miles to a nearby island, and survived for five weeks by eating mice before she was found by the Navy.

luna dog sawm to island survived 5 weeks off mice
Luna / Credit: U.S. Navy

Luna was first reported missing the morning of February 10, 2016 by her owner, Nick Hayworth, a fisherman. Hayworth was out fishing near and island about 80 miles off the coast of San Diego.

"He told us Luna was a very powerful swimmer and that he was 90 percent sure she'd head for shore," said Sandy DeMunnik, public affairs officer for Naval Base Coronado. "So our staff searched the island, but with no luck. He stayed in the area for two more days to look for her, and after a week, we considered her lost at sea and presumed dead."

Over a month later, Luna showed up to greet Navy staffers arriving on the island for work.

"They saw Luna just sitting on the side of the road, wagging her tail," DeMunnik told ABC News. "Keep in mind, there are no domesticated animals on the island, so it was a stunning sight."

Luna was examined by a wildlife biologist at the San Diego Zoo who determined she was "perfectly healthy, other than being a little undernourished," DeMunnik said. "It looks like she'd been surviving off of mice for the past few weeks."

Watch the heartwarming moment Hayworth reunites with his beloved dog.