HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) -- She's here. Forgea, the 2-year-old dog whose story of
Forgea, shown here Thursday, will be placed in quarantine for 120 days before being adopted by a friend of her owner.
being cast adrift on the high seas made international headlines arrived in Honolulu Thursday morning.
Forgea, who spent 24 days alone on an abandoned fuel tanker, wore a lei of red flowers as she faced the media for the first time.
The brown-and-white terrier mix was held by Dr. Becky Rhoades of the Kauai Humane Society aboard the tug that brought her to Hawaii.
The tug was dispatched by the U.S. Coast Guard to tow the disabled tanker Insiko 1907.
Hawaiian Humane Society officials said she'll be taken to first to the state quarantine in Halawa to be microchipped, then to a private veterinarian for an examination. Under state law, she must be placed in quarantine for 120 days before she can be released to her owner or be adopted.
The dog will spend the four-month period at the Kauai Humane Society, where there are fewer dogs than at the state facility on Oahu, officials said.
The dog's Taiwanese owner, Chung Chen-po, said recently that his dog's name is pronounced "Hokget" in Taiwanese, which means "happiness, good fortune, blessing -- all that is good." Chung's friend, Michael Kuo, of Honolulu, plans to adopt the dog.
The little dog may find a world eager to see her when her quarantine ends. Jay Leno wants to fly her to Los Angeles as a guest on his late-night talk show. News crews from across the country also are itching for a chance to sit down with the plucky pooch.
Forgea was unintentionally left alone on the crippled tanker on April 2 after the cruise ship Norwegian Star rescued her owner and 10 members of his crew.
An engine room fire aboard the Indonesian tanker on March 13 killed one crew member and knocked out power and communications aboard the ship, which serviced fishing boats with fuel and supplies.
The Hawaiian Humane Society launched a $48,000 rescue effort April 5 that was called off two days later when it was thought the tanker had sunk.
The disabled tanker later was spotted by a fishing boat and then located by the Coast Guard. A plane dropped pizza, granola bars and oranges for the pup.
Forgea appeared to be in good condition and was eating and drinking following her rescue. The dog had lived on the tanker with the crew since she was a puppy.
