Inhabitants of Fanning Island wasted no time in salvaging parts from the stricken Darla Jean
In December of 2007, the 48 foot motorsailor Darla Jean ran aground a reef just offshore equatorial Fanning Island. Since this voyage began in Monterey Bay and was destined for the Hawaiian Islands, such a landfall was indeed far from the desired path. The Darla Jean had encountered equipment failures, among other issues, and had drifted for 95 days. With assistance, this vessel's owners safely made their way to shore, as did the couple's two pets: a young cocker spaniel named Snickers and a gorgeous blue and gold macaw named Gulliver. The owners soon left the island, but their pets did not join them in the journey back to America. Here the plot thickens.
Inhabitants of Fanning Island wasted no time in salvaging parts from the stricken
Darla Jean
The island nation of Kiribati does not allow the import of such animals. If these animals cannot be removed, they will be destroyed. Such a bleak outlook for Snickers and Gulliver prompted Robby and Lorraine Coleman to look for a solution. Through an article in the sailing magazine Latitude 38 they came in contact with a resident of Nevada who wished to save both animals. He obtained the necessary release of ownership document from the Merrows and went to work.
Snickers presented quite a challenge because in recent days he had begun to revert to his wild instincts. Capturing a feral dog without traumatizing the animal is not an easy task. Then there were the logistics problems: no cage, no leash, and certainly no regular transportation for pets between Fanning Island and the United States. Here Robby and his new owner-to-be discovered a most helpful gentleman, Rigo Neira of the Hawaii Humane Society. Rigo began researching the legalities of bringing both pets back to the United States. The Norwegian Cruise Lines ship Pride of Aloha would make its final voyage between the Hawaiian Islands and Fanning Island in early April. Yes, the cruise line was willing to take on temporary duty as a cocker spaniel ocean transporter, but time was of the essence, because NCL was discontinuing the Fanning stops and the final voyage was set to leave. Rigo drove to the docks and presented NCL with cages for both Snickers and Gulliver, plus flea powder, leash, and other items needed to get the animals off the island. Meanwhile, a dog behaviorist from Australia named Lynne Fitzsimmons gave Robby pointers on how to recapture the cocker without traumatizing the animal. When the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel departed Fanning Island on April 9 for its return to Hawaii, it carried a four-legged guest of the captain named Snickers. Hurrah!
Snickers getting a mandatory haircut
The ship's doctor first gave Snickers a treat, then gave him a quick exam
Now we come to the troubles of Gulliver, and this fine bird is indeed in a heap of trouble. Gulliver is a young blue and gold macaw. He speaks many English words and is quite friendly around people. This specimen of the parrot family is known to live more than 65 years, some say up to 100 years. Unfortunately, Gulliver's lifespan may be much, much shorter. Rigo Neira advised Robby that Gulliver could only return to the United States if he is registered and has the proper legband. In other words, he must show compliance with treaties which prevent the import of endangered birds without documentation. Lorraine biked her way across the island, visited Gulliver, and discovered a legband but no number, leading one to believe that this bird may be less-than-legal. Also, the shipwrecked sailors failed to file certain papers before taking Gulliver from the U.S., and now his return may in fact be impossible.
Gulliver on Fanning Island
Gulliver is a gorgeous bird
Here is where you may be able to help. Robby, Lorraine, and the unnamed guardian of Snickers are all searching for ways to find a new home for Gulliver. If we could find someone with the horsepower to cut through governmental red tape, perhaps Gulliver could still be returned to the US If you have any connections with national TV shows or nationwide columnists, consider bringing Gulliver to their attention. The Colemans are willing to transport Gulliver to another island nation if that country would accept him. A plan needs to be found quickly, though, for time is running out for Gulliver on Fanning Island. Suggestions may be forwarded to this article's author at this email address, and we'll in turn forward your suggestions to the Colemans and other participants. Until a solution can be found, Gulliver truly is a bird without a country.
Gulliver's video on YouTube or http://gulliversisland.wordpress.com
Snickers Video
Update: 10April08
We're told from the Pride of Aloha captain and also from a Snickers fan
named Mark that Snickers the cruise ship cocker is doing well and approaching
people to receive attention. In a few days Snickers will fly to the Western
U.S. and begin life with his new owner. Meanwhile, we've really seen enormous
efforts both in the U.S. and in Australia to find a solution for Gulliver. We'll
report any breakthroughs. Your ideas still very much encouraged.
Update: 15April08
Snickers the Shipwrecked Cocker Spaniel arrives in Honolulu on 16April aboard
the Pride of Aloha. He'll be staying with State of Hawaii Quarantine
until flying via airliner to the West Coast in a few days.
A blog has been set up to keep you posted on efforts to Save Gulliver. There's
also a link for donations. Since we may need to send a vet to Kiribati before
Gulliver can be released, your help is needed.
visit: http://gulliversisland.wordpress.com/
Monday 21Apr08
Snickers is home! On Saturday Snickers enjoyed a play session with Laureli,
who has been calming and rehabilitating Snickers every day during his stay in
Honolulu. Hawaiian Airlines invited Snickers aboard Flight 2 to LAX as a complimentary
guest Saturday afternoon. Tina Young drove Snickers the final distance to Las
Vegas, where he was united with his new owner Jack Joslin. Jack will be busy
getting this special-needs dog comfortable in his new home, and the rest of
us now turn our full attention to Gulliver, the bird without a country.
A BIG Thank You
Those of us who have worked hard to save Snickers and Gulliver want to send
a big THANK YOU to NCL for not only bringing Snickers back from Fanning Island
but also transporting cages and other vital supplies to Fanning. Mark Bult an
NCL assistant systems manager aboard Pride of Aloha has been a dog's
best friend. Mark, you're a prince. The Hawaiian Humane Society, especially
Rigo Neira, has gone far above and beyond the call of duty in researching how
to bring these animals into the country and providing the needed cages and equipment.
We salute Hawaiian Airlines for whisking Snickers across from Honolulu to Los
Angeles. What great people they have in HA Cargo! Also, the small army of bird
lovers, dog behaviorists, and other helpers are too numerous to name right now
but your efforts are so appreciated!
Update 15Mary08
Gulliver is now on Christmas Island. The Pride of Aloha has discontinued its
Fanning Island stops, and the most likely way to get Gulliver back to America
is to fly him from an airport on Christmas Island. Lacking a cage for Gulliver
to travel in, Robby and a visiting cruiser went to work with wire and available
tools and created an absolutely Grade AAA cage for Gulliver.
Robby could go into the bird cage business, his work was so good
Lorraine and a young friend admiring Gulliver and the new cage.
So the day for Gulliver's departure approached. The lucky bird got a dinghy ride across the lagoon then spent the night on Southern Cross before being loading on the supply ship Kwai.
To say Gulliver's arrival on Christmas Island was dramatic is like calling the sinking of the Titanic a minor boating incident. Despite the best made plans, Gulliver's arrival caught the quarantine officials on Christmas Island by surprise and the bird could well have lost his life during the edgy first 24 hours on the island. Fortunately, the agriculture/quarantine officers received a phone call from Sybil Erden of The Oasis bird sanctuary, telling them of the rescue effort underway, and the next day Robby and Lorraine's webmaster jumped a plane to Christmas Island and introduced himself to these Kiribati residents. Gulliver is now happy and healthy, and the agriculture officers are falling for this fellow as others have done before. The bottleneck on Gulliver's safe return to America is with finding a way through the maze of U.S. and international laws which restrict the transport of exotic birds. With any luck, we'll have Gulliver's return approved in a few weeks. After quarantine in Los Angeles, he'll be heading to a fantastic bird sanctuary called The Oasis in the very southernmost portion of Arizona where he'll be able to live with other macaws and take flight once again in an enormous macaw flight structure. The recovery efforts are expensive, so please consider a look at The Oasis facilities and a possible donation to Gulliver's recovery effort. This bird isn't out of the woods yet, there's plenty that can still go wrong, but with such a determined army of volunteers, we're betting on Gulliver to find his way home.
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