Despite having one eye and nicknamed 鈥楶irate Andy鈥�, it was a wobbly maiden voyage for an East Sooke 鈥榖ark-aneer鈥� who struggled to find all four of his sea legs.
鈥淗e was a little skittish,鈥� said Andy鈥檚 owner Joshua Rose.
But with some gentle coaxing, Andy soon relaxed into the cruise on the waters of the Salish Sea. A relief for keen fisherman Rose, who hopes to take the canine with him on multiple fishing trips.
鈥淗e鈥檚 my pirate Andy, our pirate dog,鈥� he said.
One-eyed Andy was adopted by Rose and his wife Gabriella in January after he was , with a sign attached to a bag that read, 鈥淗elp me please, note in bag.鈥�
Inside the bag was $500 in cash, plus a five-page letter from the dog鈥檚 owner of five years, explaining they were no longer able to care for Andy because of physical and mental health reasons.
News of his rescue was shared online, and for Rose it was love at first sight. Before even consulting with his wife, he had reached out to Sooke-based animal rescue organization Salish Paws, to offer Andy a new forever home.
鈥淲e have no pets and no kids, so he gets our full attention,鈥� said Rose.
Andy was found with a swollen left-eye, which had to be removed 鈥� his treatment paid for thanks to donations from the public made to Salish Paws.
鈥淲e were ready to take on the bills and get him cared for,鈥� said Rose. 鈥淚t was a huge surprise for them to take care of his vet bills. We are forever grateful to Salish Paws and to the many people who donated to help him.鈥�
Now fully recovered from his surgery, Andy is thriving says Rose, showing no signs of post traumatic stress, despite the upheaval of being surrendered by his former owner.
"He is kind of needy ... he won't let you sit alone," said Rose. "If he's laying on the couch and you go to a different couch, he'll hop up on there with you."
But Rose clearly doesn't mind having a 'needy' dog, inviting Andy to join him on the road daily, in his role as a truck driver 鈥� an offer the canine rarely turns down.
鈥淗e's a gentle giant, he's loved meeting other dogs and loves meeting people.鈥� he said.
鈥淗e is just perfect, you couldn't ask for a better dog.鈥�
