QUINCY, MASS. (WHDH) - After five months of rehab, a sea turtle that was rescued by a dog back in January has been released back into the wild.
The loggerhead sea turtle, checking in at roughly 40 pounds, had washed ashore on a beach in Plymouth during a seasonably cold January day. Officials say the January 11 rescue date was the latest ever for a sea turtle to strand in Massachusetts and still survive.
Officials say the animal wouldn’t have survived more than a few hours, but a 120-pound Newfoundland named Veda was out walking with her owners, Leah and Brad Bares.
The dog was working her way down the beach, inspecting various piles of seaweed, when suddenly the dog laid down. The Bares saw the sea turtle next to Veda and know they wouldn’t have seen the turtle without Veda’s help.
Officials say Newfoundland dogs have become famous for their rescue of fishermen, but finding and rescuing a sea turtle may be a first.
The sea turtle was brought to the New England Aquarium’s sea turtle hospital in Quincy and slowly re-warmed over several days. The turtle had acute hypothermia and required several months of intensive care and rehab.
But the turtle was a staff favorite and was even given a name, “Newfie,” after her savior. Officials say that, just like the dog, Newfie became quite adept at begging for food.
Newfie was one of nine sea turtles brought to Maryland for safe release, as water temperatures in Massachusetts are still too cold for recovering sea turtles.
Newfie was released and paddled its way into the water at Assateague State Park earlier this week.
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