Sailor who spent three months lost at sea with dog Bella reveals why he must say goodbye to his faithful pup

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mr Shaddock, a former IT manager from Sydney, said the last time he saw land was in early May as he sailed out of the Sea of Cortez with the aim of reaching French Polynesia. Mr Shaddock, a former IT manager from Sydney, said the last time he saw land was in early May as he sailed out of the Sea of Cortez with the aim of reaching French Polynesia However, he added: “I’m sad to lose her, she’s a remarkable animal. I’ve had her since she was a pup, and she just hasn’t stopped following me.” Bella enjoyed her time on the boat, said Mr Shaddock, keeping him ‘calm’ and sane throughout the ordeal He met Bella, who was a stray, in March 2020 in Mexico, where he was plotting a sailing route home to Australia, having been barred from the country due to pandemic restrictions. When we were rescued, all the crew commented on how fit she still looked, especially compared to me.” Fisherman Genaro Rosales, 48, a member of the rescue crew, will be adopting Bella Despite his sadness, Mr Shaddock is philosophical about losing his dog, happy in the knowledge she will be taken care of by her new Mexican family.