Australian Shepherd Safely Returned Home After 166-Mile Trek Across Alaskan Sea
A 1-year-old pup named Nanuq decided to partake in an icy odyssey and was found in Wales, Alaska across the Bering Sea, 166 miles from his home
A 1-year-old Australian Shepherd has safely returned home from his 166-mile trek across Alaska's Bering Sea, according to reports.
Nanuq, which means polar bear, decided to partake in an icy sea odyssey. The dog, unfortunately, suffered two large bite marks in the process but is otherwise healthy, Nanuq's owner shared via Facebook.
The dog disappeared last month when his owner, Mandy Iworrigan in Gambell, Alaska, and her family were visiting the St. Lawrence Island community of Savoogna located in the Bering Strait, Anchorage Daily News reported. The pup reportedly took off with their other family dog, Starlight.
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Starlight returned weeks later, but Nanuq was still missing. One month after Nanuq's disappearance, he turned up in Wales, Alaska.
"My dad texted me and said, 'There's a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales,' " Iworrigan told the outlet. After clicking on the Facebook post, she confirmed it was Nanuq. "I was like, 'No freakin' way! That's our dog! What is he doing in Wales?' "
"I have no idea why he ended up in Wales. Maybe the ice shifted while he was hunting," she continued. "I'm pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds, too. He eats our Native foods. He's smart."
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Iworrigan got the dog home safely via airline carrier from Wales back to Gampbell's regional airport. Waiting on site with her daughter Brooklyn in patches of snow on the runway, Iworrigan captured the plane's landing, with her adorable daughter reuniting with the adventurous pup.
Starlight was even on hand for the celebration as the family cheered for Nanuk's return.
"My daughter's dog is finally home from Wales!" Iworrigan wrote on Facebook on April 6.
As for the dog's bite marks, she told Anchorage Daily News: "Wolverine, seal, small nanuq, we don't know, because it's like a really big bite."
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