A dog who disappeared after being frightened by fireworks has been found on a remote island almost three miles away.
Mel the pooch fled from her home, where she had been left alone, on the night on New Year's Eve last year after being startled by celebratory fireworks being set off.
She fled to nearby Itaipuacu Beach, where she was used to going with her owners in the past.
Then, after jumping into the water, the pet dog managed to swim more than three miles away to the Ilhas Maricas (Maricas Islands) off the coast of Marica, near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Her owner Cassia Oliveira, 38, said: "Mel got lost during the fireworks. Last week we received a message that she had been found by the fisherman."
Manoel Moura, 60, was at sea when he heard a dog barking from atop the island.
She said: "He told his colleague about it, but the man did not believe him at first.
Manoel said: "They thought I was mad, but I looked and saw the dog, beneath a cactus.
"Afterwards, my colleague saw it too, but we couldn't get close because it was hiding in the cactus bush, in an area with difficult access.
"As I fish almost every day, I returned and tried to get to the dog, but it headed into the bush. I left food for it and it came.
"That dog swam to the island! This isn't a fisherman's tale."
Manoel finally managed to rescue the pooch with the help of a lifeguard after he called for assistance from Civil Defence.
When Mel was found, she had an injured paw and a kidney problem from lack of water.
She was at risk of dying and was taken to a veterinarian straight away.
A friend recognised the pooch and sent the owner a photo and Cassia could not believe her eyes.
Mel had been with her and her family for nine years after they took her off the streets.
Cassia was reunited with Mel on May 3 after spending a few days recovering at the vet's surgery
She said: "We are happy and grateful to everyone who worked to rescue and help our dog."
