Ferdinandi notes, “He was extremely exhausted, clearly malnourished and hungry.”
The concern was well-founded. On June 6, Chunk, a 3-year-old Golden Retriever, had been playing fetch with his owners, Marie and James Zangara, when he suddenly became frightened and ran off into the woods. Since Chunk went missing that Sunday, efforts to find him included social media campaigns, local police involvement, baited traps, dog trackers, and trail cameras.
According to Ferdinandi, two joggers on the Mantoloking Bridge spotted Chunk early Tuesday morning. However, when they attempted to catch him, he jumped into the river. By the time he was rescued, Chunk had swum nearly two kilometers across the water. On land, Chunk seemed frightened of the rescuers—”he kind of backed away from us,” Ferdinandi remarks. The rescuers stayed with Chunk until his family arrived.
“It was amazing to witness their relief at having a family member back, and the dog was equally thrilled to see his family,” Ferdinandi says.
Trooper Koehler, who has been on the force for 16 years and owns a rescue Lab/Shepherd mix, empathizes deeply with the distress of being separated from a pet for an extended period. “I completely understand,” he says.
Ferdinandi adds, “Our primary goal was to reunite the dog with his owners.” The good news was shared widely, with over 6,000 shares on the New Jersey State Police’s Facebook page early Tuesday.
The State Police Facebook post stated, “Troopers Koehler and Ferdinandi responded in a motorboat and located Chunk, who was swimming near the Mantoloking Bridge, and successfully brought him to safety.”
The message continued, “Chunk, a three-year-old Golden Retriever, had been missing for over two weeks. It goes without saying that he was overjoyed to be reunited with his grateful owners.”
Troopers Ryan Koehler and Vincent Ferdinandi were preparing for their shift at 7 a.m. Tuesday when they received an unexpected call about a Golden Retriever swimming in Barnegat Bay on the Jersey Shore and in need of rescue.
The officers promptly launched a 22-foot boat. Ferdinandi recounted that he reached the dog, approximately 75 yards from shore, using a Zodiac boat. They gently guided the dog to land and hoisted him onto a dock behind a house using a rope line.
