Dog Rescued From Waters Off Martha’s Vineyard, Reunited With Family

Rescued DogMARTHA’S VINEYARD – A family has been reunited with its pet after a dog was rescued from the waters off Martha’s Vineyard Monday.

The crew of the Island Queen came across the dog about a mile off the island and tried to rescue the animal, but the frightened dog kept swimming away from the vessel.

“It was a moving target.” said Captain Ron Rock of the Island Queen, who first spotted the dog near a buoy. “It was tough to get alongside it.”

Unable to rescue the dog with his vessel, Rock and his crew regrouped and used the Island Queen’s danger signal to flag down a nearby smaller recreational boat, the Lovely Day. That vessel was able to get their boat up next to the dog and lift it out of the water safely.

“The [Island Queen] crew did a great job,” Rock said. “We had a good charge of passengers, and they were very, very happy and appreciative when the dog was pulled from the water.”

“The Lovely Day got a standing ovation from my load of passengers,” Rock added.

The two vessels then contacted the Oak Bluffs Harbormaster’s Office and got the dog safely to shore. The dog is said to be doing well after the ordeal.

It’s believed the dog jumped off a Steamship Authority boat after becoming separated from its family. Rock estimates that “quite a bit of time elapsed” from the time the dog entered the water and when it was pulled to safety.

Rock has captained the Island Ferry for 24 years, making more than 20,000 trips between Woods Hole and Martha’s Vineyard. He said he’s never seen any rescue like Monday’s.

“I’m glad the dog’s okay and everything ended well,” Captain Rock said. “I’m happy to have the Island Queen crew ready to help out when we can.”

By MATT McCARTHY, CapeCod.com NewsCenter

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