TIM Shaddock, who was lost at sea for two months with his dog, has been faced with fresh heartache after being forced to give her up.
The Australian sailor, 51, was rescued from the Pacific Ocean last week alongside his pooch, Bella.
9 NEWSTim Shaddock was stranded in the Pacific Ocean for two months with just his dog Bella for company[/caption]
APHe picked up the dog while travelling in Mexico after ‘she wouldn’t let me go’[/caption]
AFPThe Marie Delia crew members took a liking to Bella after rescuing the pair[/caption]
But after finally being hauled back to dry land by his rescuers, Tim had to abandon his castaway canine pal who “found him” while he was travelling in Mexico.
“Bella sort of found me in the middle of Mexico. She’s Mexican,” he said, reported the New York Post.
“She’s the spirit of the middle of the country and she wouldn’t let me go.
“I tried to find a home for her three times and she just kept following me onto the water. She’s a lot braver than I am, that’s for sure”.
Tim, although left heartbroken at having to leave Bella to jet back home to his native Australia, decided to leave the pup in the capable hands of a crew member from the Marie Delia who had come to his rescue.
He said he had chosen crew member Genaro Rosales to care for Bella who had assured him she would be well looked after.
Bringing pets to Australia can be a lengthy and expensive process involving cats and dogs being microchipped, vaccinated and undergoing quarantine periods – even from “approved” countries.
Mexico is not an approved country for pet importation in Australia, making the hurdles to bring Bella back even higher.
She would likely have had to spend time in another country, and be cared for there, before even being considered entry to Australia.
After being rescued, the 51-year-old who had grown long hair and beard, revealed that he and Bella survived off raw fish and rain water while the pair were lost at sea.
The former IT specialist, had set out in April from La Paz, Mexico, on a 3,728-mile voyage to French Polynesia.
But weeks into the challenge, his vessel was damaged in a storm that downed its electronic and navigation systems.
The stranded duo were eventually rescued after two gruelling months at sea, 1930km from land, by the tuna trawler Marie Delia after being spotted by a chopper.
The vessel then returned them to Mexican land.
Tim said he was “so grateful” to be alive and described the moment he saw the helicopter that alerted the trawler to his location.
“This land I’m on currently is amazing, you know, it’s really good. I’m grateful to be here,” he said.
“It made me feel like I was going to live, you know. The helicopter was the first I have seen of any boat for three months.”
APBella has been left with crew member Genaro Rosales[/caption]
AFPAfter being rescued Tim had long hair and an unkempt beard[/caption]
AFPThe Marie Delia trawler crew found the duo 1930km from land[/caption]
AFPTim is now returning back to his native Australia, but Bella will stay in Mexico[/caption]
