Perhaps cats aren't the only pets who have nine lives.
Ony and Joe Antonucci, who own Fuller's Corner Store in Edinburg, have enjoyed boating on the Great Sacandaga Lake since they came to the area three years ago.
With a busy store to run, they don't get out on the water as often as they'd like. On the afternoon of July 12, though, they found themselves with an entire day to enjoy the fine weather.
They are often accompanied on their boating excursions by their two dogs, a young Cane Corso mastiff named Serena and a 7-year-old black Scottish terrier named Diva. They were headed toward Sport Island Pub, Ony Antonucci said, when something went amiss.
"We got to Sport Island, and my friend asked, 'Where's Diva?' I said, 'Oh my God, she fell off.'"
The boaters had stopped at Sinclair Point to fix an engine problem. It was then, Ony said, when she thinks Diva fell into the water.
The Scottie was nowhere to be found. After scouring the boat with no luck, the Antonuccis retraced their route, moving slowly through the water for more than three hours searching for the lost dog.
"We were stopping people on their boats and asking them to look," Ony Antonucci said. "We even called 911. It would be hard to see such a little dog in the water."
Despite their meticulous search, the Antonuccis came up empty-handed.
Antonucci said the two couldn't imagine losing their dog in such a way. Diva had been on the boat countless times, re-enacting the iconic scene from the movie "Titanic" and perching on the prow of the vessel, her black fur ruffling in the wind.
"We were heartbroken," she said. "We drove home still looking, thinking this is just the most horrible day."
A bit of movement on the opposite shore, though, caught Antonucci's eye. She asked her husband to move the boat closer.
"There was something on the beach," Antonucci said. "We got closer and there she was, sitting there with her little red collar and her black pointy ears."
Overjoyed, the pair scooped up the shivering Scottie, who was clearly exhausted from her ordeal.
"We wrapped her up and gave her a hot bath," she said. "We were cheering on the boat we were so happy. She was in total shock, completely wiped out."
After few days' rest, Diva was back to normal, with the only change being she doesn't like to get too far away from her owners.
Antonucci estimates Diva must have doggy-paddled at least a half-mile back to shore and safety.
"It's just a miracle," she said. "I can't believe someone didn't hit her, it was so busy. I can't believe she didn't drown."
Antonucci said she hopes Diva's story will inspire others to make sure their pets and children are always wearing life jackets.
"I just ordered a life jacket for Serena," she said. "They will be wearing them all the time from now on."
It's easy to lose track of pets and children when on a boat, Ony said. The sun, surf, conversation with friends and roar of the engine are all distractions.
"You think you're aware of what's going on," she said. "You just assume they'll be there. The same thing could happen with a child."
That's why it's important to make sure everyone is wearing a life preserver, Ony said.
"We're just so glad we found her healthy," she said. "Hopefully, we can help some other people out. Let's all be a little bit smarter on the lake."
Kayleigh Karutis covers rural Fulton County news. She can be reached by e-mail at ruralnews@leaderherald.com.
