Dog Missing After Boat Accident Found Alive With His Life Vest On

Left: Rocky on the boat with his life jacket on. Right: A picture of Rocky after being reunited with his family.

A 1-year-old golden retriever has defied the odds after a boat accident left him separated from his family.

Rocky and his owner, Jeff Wiseman, were on a boat trip on Ashley River in South Carolina on June 23 when they were both thrown into the water following a collision with an abandoned cement dock.

As Wiseman battled with the fast-moving tide, he surfaced to find Rocky missing. Despite suffering broken ribs from the fall, he began a frantic search for the dog along riverbanks and nearby marshes.

This was when Charleston Animal Society stepped in. "We don't normally post lost pets on our social media, but this was a dire circumstance," Kay Hyman, Director of Community Engagement at Charleston Animal Society, told Newsweek. "Rocky's story touched a chord, and within hours, our post had gone viral, reaching thousands across our community and beyond."

"Your mind really just starts to to go in a dark place," fellow owner Kim Wiseman told Newsweek, recalling the hours Rocky was missing.

The anxious search continued for almost 36 hours before a breakthrough. At 9 a.m. on June 25, the family got a call from a couple in West Ashley. They had seen Rocky on the dock, still wearing his red life jacket, and quickly called the family to let them know.

Rocky had managed to swim across the Ashley River to safety before wandering through the marshes, eventually finding himself in the backyard two miles from the crash site.

"It really did feel like a miracle," Kim said. "We were just over so overjoyed. All of us."

After a vet trip Rocky was given a clean bill of health, aside from a slight leg injury, and he is now settling back into life at home with his family.

The entire community rallied after hearing about Rocky's rescue, something that didn't go unnoticed by the family. "I would keep going between the hospital to the site and when I got there I'd see people with drones in the air, people on jet skis, kayaks, boats—all searching," Kim said. "People were sending me paw prints, they were tracking him."

Rocky's adventure sparked other pet owners to think about safety during boating trips.

"Several people immediately went online and purchased dog vests for their boating dogs," Hyman said. "We always stress boat safety being surrounded by rivers and beaches, but Rocky's harrowing escape from death was averted by his life vest and canine wits."

Kim is thrilled that Rocky's story has prompted other pet owners to think about their dogs' water safety too. "I've had messages like 'My dog will never go in the water without a life jacket again,' It saved his life, absolutely," she said.

For the Charleston Animal Society, celebrating its 150th year, Rocky's tale is an example of its commitment to helping dogs in need. "We are proud to have played a role in reuniting Rocky with his family," said Hyman. This heartwarming outcome highlights the impact of our community's support and compassion."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

UPDATE 06/27/24 10:52 a.m.: This story was updated with additional comment from the Wiseman family.

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