BRICK TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A missing dog and his owners are together again after New Jersey state troopers saved the golden retriever from Barnegat Bay, authorities said.
According to WTXF and WABC, the rescue occurred Tuesday morning near the Mantoloking Bridge. Ryan Koehler and Vincent Ferdinandi, two troopers from New Jersey State Police’s Point Pleasant station, “were preparing for their shift when they were dispatched to the report of a dog swimming” in the bay, the agency said in a Facebook post.
Authorities identified the dog as 3-year-old Chunk, who vanished from Brick Township beach on June 6, and returned him to owners Jim and Marie Zangara, according to the news outlets.
The pair responded by boat, found the golden retriever and brought him to shore, the post said.
“Needless to say, he was ecstatic to be reunited with his grateful owners,” the Facebook post continued.
Marie Zangara took to Facebook after the rescue to share the happy news.
“Chunk has been FOUND!!!” she wrote in a community group about lost dogs, adding, “THANK YOU to everyone who helped search, hang signs and/or sent us encouraging thoughts and prayers during the past two weeks!!!”