Tory Island (its name is based on the Irish-language word for bandit) is a small, remote, and very beautiful place, located off the coast of Ireland’s County Donegal. Amid all the amazing scenery, there are fewer than 150 residents, one of them a Labrador retriever named Ben who has managed to become something of a tourist attraction in his own right.
Animals have been known to form unusual and unlikely friendships, but Ben and his best friend may be the world champions. Nearly every morning, Ben can be seen running down to the harbor from his home at the town’s hotel. He eagerly trots along a pier and then dashes down some old stone steps that lead straight into the water. Once this intrepid Labrador gets near the bottom of the steps, he leaps off into the water and starts paddling out into the harbor (not to worry, Ben is a first-rate swimmer). That’s where he and his friend meet up. The friend is a dolphin! Locals call him Duggie the Dolphin. Ben and his dolphin friend will then spend some time frolicking and playing before Ben heads back to shore.
Ben can’t get enough of Duggie. He’s been known to spend hours out in the harbor with the dolphin and on several occasions, he’s gotten so exhausted he was at a real risk of drowning. Duggie knows the water well and also the limits of landlubber animals: when necessary, he’ll hold Ben up and help him get back to shore! Ben’s human dad has noticed that the dog somehow seems to know when the dolphin is in the area and will suddenly take off for the harbor.
You won’t want to miss the video about this story that’s posted below. Ben and Duggie’s friendship is definitely not typical, but as you’ll see, they’re really two peas in a pod.
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