Tsunami-surviving dog rescued after three weeks at sea

A dog believed to have survived the tsunami and then three weeks at sea has been rescued by the Japanese coastguard.

Coastguards headed towards the dog after spotting it on the floating roof of a house that had been washed out to sea, about 1.1 miles from the coast of Kesennuma in the north-east.


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A rescue team scrambled on to the roof and attempted to capture the canine. But the brown dog thwarted their efforts by running away over the large roof and surrounding rubble. The chase lasted for several hours before the elusive animal was finally caught, wrapped in a blanket and carried on a stretcher aboard the rescue boat.

Initially, the dog seemed nervous and wary of the coastguards but once it was comfortably ensconced on the boat it quickly warmed to its captors and was soon licking their hands. The dog did not have a name tag or any other ID on its collar.