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16 Years to find Sea Legs

IT TOOK Jackie the Jack Russell 16 years to find his sea legs.

But when the old seadog finally did, he caused a fair panic.

For, in spite of being almost blind, very deaf and a bit shaky on his pins, he crossed two busy main roads, wandered down to Stranraer Harbour and meandered on board the high speed catamaran Stena Voyager.

There he settled down for a non-lander to Belfast, oblivious to the search being mounted for him.

Aged Jackie was in Stranraer for a weekend break at the home of local vet Alan Cochrane in London Road.

On Sunday morning, he found enough of a gap under the back gate to begin the big adventure.

Alan told the "Free Press"

"When we discovered he was missing, I reported it to the police and the SSPCA. "So they knew exactly who the little white dog was when he turned up on the HSS and they phoned me.
"The policeman told me ‘The good news us we have found him; the bad news is he is on his way to Belfast’. "I could not believe it".