JAPAN Coast Guard elite rescue unit has picked up a dog that was adrift at sea on a house roof off the nation's tsunami-battered northeast coast, an official said today.

A helicopter crew on Friday spotted the floppy-eared dark brown animal adrift 2km from Kesennuma, a port town severely hit in the March 11 disaster, according to the coastguard official.

A member of a highly trained rescue unit nicknamed the "sea monkeys" by the Japanese public was lowered from the helicopter to catch the dog, but the engine roar scared it and it jumped to another piece of flotsam, he said.

"These rescuers are very specialised," he said. "They found the dog again from a boat and finally managed to rescue it."

The mid-sized dog, whose sex was not released, wore a collar and seemed to have been a house pet, the official said.

"But it has nothing else to indicate who the owner is. He is very friendly and looks fine. He eats biscuits and sausages," he said.

It was not known whether the animal had been adrift for the entire three weeks since the disaster struck.

The Japan Coast Guard is still searching for thousands of people missing after the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami struck, and deployed 54 ships and 19 helicopters on Friday alone.

A massive US-Japanese military search for bodies - with 25,000 personnel on aircraft, ships and on the ground - recovered just 32 bodies on Friday, the first day of the three-day operation.

I am glad for him too. If you read more new.A lot of people offering him to live with. How is your dog now P'Windy?

I am glad to hear that too ja.My dog is fine now ja.He's very lovely and not naughty much at this moment ka

I wish every dog have home to stay. I have seen some TV Show in USA .The Dogs and every animals have been protected by the animals police department.If some one don't take care them good such as let them starving or hurt them and torture them, they might go to jail.They must go for my opinion.I saw some news there is a musician or a sport man i am not sure he raised dogs for bite force competition ,i was so sad .Why these peoples have such a cold heart ?

I have one dream for me if i can do.I will do the same at in the USA does ,Find a warmth house and a good owner for them,protection them and we will have animals police department in Thailand.(dreaming yes!) Hope i don't die before seeing this happen in real or be a part of this project.

.

Thanks sis .Congratulation to be the most popular voted for this month from TF.;)You always be my popular No 1. ja.

Thank you so much P'Windy.

Very cool story. Glad they got saved.

My dog ran away to play outside while i didn't kept my eyes on him,He never been out from the previous house .I let him play at the yard but he ran outside while i was busy at that time just in 5 minutes.I found him standing and tried to play with a bigger dog but that dog didn't interested to play with him.My little dog didn't afraid at all .So I brought him home.เฮ้อ!!เหนื่อยใจ!!!

Heartwarming

:< naw poor dog