A Florida couple fished for hours but didn't catch anything, except a drowning dog. Motoring their 23-foot fishing boat earlier this month on Florida Bay, Ray Truche Jr. and Lisa Largrassa suddenly felt they had hit something in the water. The couple leaned over the boat to find a fat cairn terrier named Tigger.

The 5-year-old Tigger had apparently fallen overboard from Diane and Richard Beckman's boat during their trip from Key Largo to Marathon, The Key West Citizen reported Monday.

The Beckmans frantically searched the waters for 2 1/2 hours.

"We went back and forth, back and forth," Diane Beckman said. "Finally we just gave up, because we thought he couldn't have survived in the water for that long. I was just heartbroken."

Diane said she felt elated when she got home and listened to her voice mail messages. She went quickly to pick up Tigger who had been dropped at the Upper Keys Animal Shelter.

"As soon as he realized it was me, he jumped in my arms and wouldn't let go," she said.