MIRACLE MUTT

Dog found buried alive in the Bahamas more than a month after Hurricane Dorian

By Doug Phillips

South Florida Sun Sentinel
October 7, 2019

Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas on Sept. 1. More than a month later — on Friday— an emaciated dog was found clinging to life, buried under debris in Marsh Harbor in the Abacos.

A drone equipped with infrared heat-seeking technology being used by Loxahatchee Groves-based Big Dog Ranch Rescue detected the animal trapped in rubble under a collapsed building.

He was quickly dubbed “Miracle."

It’s unclear exactly how long the dog was pinned, but judging from his condition it was an extraordinary amount of time.

“Beautiful little baby, Miracle, that was found trapped underneath an air conditioning unit and with no food and water must have survived on rain water because he’s emaciated,” the organization’s founder and president, Lauree Simmons, said.

The dog was quickly flown back to South Florida to be treated for multiple ailments and is in the early stages of recovery.

Simmons described him as weak and anemic, but also “famous," in a social media posting Sunday following several rounds of interviews by various news media organizations.

“He’s definitely got a long road to recovery ahead. He will need physical therapy and a lot of help and strength so he can fully walk again. Our wonderful medical team is monitoring him and keeping him as comfortable as possible,” Simmons said.

Even more recognition was heaped on the dog’s story Monday morning during a live news report on NBC’s Today. Miracle, at first lethargic and laying down, got on his feet and dug his snout into a food bowl being held by correspondent Kerry Sanders. Sanders reported that more than 10,000 inquiries about adopting the dog have come in from as far away as London, England.

While recovery efforts continue across many parts of the Bahamas, the human death toll is still uncertain. Though hundreds of people remain listed as missing, the government’s official count is 60, according to the online news organization The Root.

Miracle is the 138th dog to be found in the Bahamas by Big Dog Ranch Rescue in the aftermath of Category 5 Hurricane Dorian, according to the organization.

Simmons said the dog was found on the group’s twelfth rescue flight to the Bahamas.

Ninety dogs have been brought to the no-kill rescue shelter and about 50 are still seeking homes.

“We do feel that little Miracle will make it,” Simmons said.