Save A Dog: Shih Tzu Stranded On Buoy Rescued After Long-Distance Swim Into Ocean

According to a report from the Long Beach Post (LBP), a two-year-old Shih Tzu mix is now safe and sound after paddling her little heart out into the ocean. What she was fleeing from remains unclear.

On Alamitos Beach, several beach-goers saw a tiny, white dog run at break-neck speed straight down towards the water. They made haste after her, but that seemed to only hasten the dog’s will to escape. She leapt right into the ocean and took off paddling.

What the little Shih Tzu was running away from, however, no one could determine, and no human came running after her.

“We all made calls and did the best we could to get the dog out of the water,” said Lulia Vecerdea, one of the bystanders. “It appeared that the dog ran away [from something] — we saw it getting in the water and swimming away.”

Rescued By Concerned Dog-Lovers

While bystanders called Long Beach Marine Safety who dispatched a rescue boat and lifeguard from the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD), a concerned citizen took matters into his own hands.

Jumping into his boat, an unnamed rescuer found the Shih Tzu bobbing by a buoy she had found to hold onto and pulled her to safety. She’d made quite the swim!

“She was a really good swimmer!” said LBFD Marine Safety Chief Gonzalo Medina. “She was several hundred yards offshore. We’d gotten the call [from one of the rescuers] and dispatched a rescue boat and lifeguard.”

He further mentioned her name should be “Flipper.”

‘Flipper’ Is Now Safe & Sound, But Still Unclaimed

Once rescuers pulled the dog from the ocean, they passed her off to Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS). Field Director David Linn of LBACS reported that she was not spayed. She also didn’t seem to have any kind of leash experience.

At the time of rescue, the little pup was wearing a gray sweater emblazoned with “Ain’t no mama like the one I’d got,” with paw-prints and hearts. However, no pet parent seemed to be in the area.

LBACS is giving the dog until Thursday before they put her up for adoption. If you live in the Long Beach area and might want to adopt a long-distance swimmer into your family, you can find further information here.

Would you ever expect to see a tiny Shih Tzu swim that far? What would you think if you came across a dog stranded on a buoy? Let us know in the comments below.