Who is Tim Shaddock and what happened to his dog Bella?
TIM SHADDOCK warmed hearts with his incredible story of surviving for months at sea with his pet pooch Bella.
The Australian found himself in a situation much like Tom Hanks' hit movie Cast Away, but it was his adorable relationship with his dog that really captured people's attention.
Who is Tim Shaddock?
Tim Shaddock is a sailor from Australia who was rescued from the Pacific Ocean in July 2023.
Shaddock, who lives in Sydney, had been lost at sea for two months with his dog, Bella.
The former IT specialist had set out in April from La Paz, Mexico, on a 3,728-mile voyage to French Polynesia.
Weeks into the challenge, cancer survivor Tim's vessel was damaged in a storm that downed its electronic and navigation systems.
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How did Tim Shaddock and his dog Bella survive?
After being rescued, Tim revealed that he and Bella survived off raw fish and rain water while lost at sea.
He also credited Bella's companionship with helping him strive for survival.
The stranded duo were eventually rescued, 1930km from land, by the tuna trawler Marie Delia after being spotted by a chopper.
The vessel then returned them to Mexican land.
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Tim, who said he was "so grateful" to be alive, described the moment he saw the helicopter that alerted the trawler to his location.
He said: "It made me feel like I was going to live, you know.
"The helicopter was the first I have seen of any boat for three months."
How old is Timothy Shaddock?
Timothy is in his 50s but reporting of his age has differed.
Some publications have stated he is 51 while others have said 54.
What happened to Tim Shaddock's dog Bella?
Sadly, Tim has been forced to give Bella up.
The sailor, who found the dog when he was travelling in Mexico, was unable to take Bella back with him to his native Australia.
A heartbroken Tim decided to leave the pup in the capable hands of a crew member from the Marie Delia - the ship who came to his rescue.
Bella will now live with Genaro Rosales, who has promised Shaddock that he will take good care of the canine.
Bringing pets to Australia can be a notoriously lengthy and expensive process.
Cats and dogs have to be microchipped, vaccinated and undergo quarantine periods - even from "approved" countries.
Mexico is not an approved country for pet importation in Australia, making it even trickier for Bella to travel there.
If she were to even be considered for entry to Australia, she would likely have had to spend time in another country, and be cared for there.
After being rescued, Tim revealed how Bella had been the one to "find him".
"Bella sort of found me in the middle of Mexico. She's Mexican," he told the .
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"She's the spirit of the middle of the country and she wouldn't let me go.
"I tried to find a home for her three times and she just kept following me onto the water. She's a lot braver than I am, that's for sure".
