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lost dog

Monster finds her way home.

Imagine going fishing on your boat with your best four-legged friend but when you look for her to help you pull the net, she’s gone. That’s exactly what happened to Captain Keith “Kiwi” Soffes, a shrimp boat captain from Texas, who told his story to FOX 26 Houston. He went to look for Monster, his brown pit bull and co-captain when she didn’t come to help drag the nets and she was nowhere to be found, on or off the boat.


Being a pet parent can feel like a full-time job but that kind of companionship makes all of the mishaps and stressful moments worth it. Pets help to keep their owners entertained, though I don’t think this type of entertainment is what Monster’s dad had in mind. The shrimp boat captain said that once he realized Monster was missing he whipped the boat around to find her but had no luck. Soffes got choked up when he recalled the moment he thought he wouldn’t see his dog again.

According to Soffes, the boat was about five miles out from shore so he didn’t see how his dog—who wasn’t wearing a life vest at the time—could make it that far. He shared the story on Facebook, hoping by some miracle his sweet pooch made it to shore, but days went by without any word. This was the first time the duo had been separated for any amount of time, and Soffes was heartbroken.

Eventually, someone on social media recognized the dog and said she was at a local park. Someone else chimed in and said Monster was spotted swimming across the bay. This prompted Soffes to start going door to door looking for his best friend, who he said was afraid of the dark. Desperate to find Monster, Soffes offered a reward to anyone who could give him his dog back, and with that incentive his search finally came to a happy end.

Monster was tied to someone’s trailer and when she saw her dad, tears were shed and puppy kisses abounded. The athletic pooch now has a life vest for her next fishing trip and surely, Soffes won’t take his eyes off his co-captain. Hopefully Monster lives a long and happy life on dry land and keeps away from the edge of the boat.