https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-04/ ... /100883526
Australians watched on in dismay as a dog fell into floodwaters during an emergency rescue on the NSW North Coast, with the heartbreaking moment he was left behind broadcast on live TV.
There was little hope of DJ the border collie surviving three nights alone in floodwaters at Bungawalbin, but he has miraculously now been reunited with his overjoyed owners.
Strangers led a social media campaign to find the pooch and a volunteer, Dave Oneeglio, came to owner Mark O'Toole's aid.
After a six-hour mission using a jet ski and a boat, DJ was rescued — along with 10 other dogs and six cats.
Mr O'Toole said he felt little hope that DJ would be found alive, but had to try to find the dog for his daughters.
"As we got further out I thought, 'Oh God, I've wasted these people's time. How are we going to find anything out here?'" he said.
"Everything is gone, not even a brick is left where the house was."
"I was outside yelling for DJ and after half an hour we thought we heard a dog howling," Mr O'Toole said.
"I was up to my chest in water looking. I'd actually given up, when I had a feeling and looked to my right.
" A black-and-white dog was sitting on top of a big pile of metal of what must have been a shed. It was DJ."
The miraculous discovery was made even sweeter when Mr O'Toole reunited the dog with his teen daughters in Lismore.
"When I got back to town with him my daughters were covered in mud because they'd been helping clean up houses in town," he said.
"The look on their faces [when they saw DJ] was gold.
"I broke down when we were at the house seeing everything gone, especially my kids' things.
"But then when we found the dog I thought, 'Who cares?' You couldn't wish for anything better."
The miraculous discovery was made even sweeter when Mr O'Toole reunited the dog with his teen daughters in Lismore.
"When I got back to town with him my daughters were covered in mud because they'd been helping clean up houses in town," he said.
"The look on their faces [when they saw DJ] was gold.
"I broke down when we were at the house seeing everything gone, especially my kids' things.
"But then when we found the dog I thought, 'Who cares?' You couldn't wish for anything better."
- The beloved pet "did not stop smiling" from the moment he was rescued, despite being exhausted and starving after his three-day ordeal.(Supplied)
- cool dog.jpg (87.69 KiB) Viewed 190 times
