Sweet Dog Can Do Nothing But Watch As An Octopus Steals Her Most Cherished Tennis Ball
Lucy came to the beach for one thing, her favorite tennis ball, and she was not expecting to lose it to a surprise visitor from the sea.
The Creighton family was spending time on the coast in South Africa when Lucy, their beloved dog, crossed paths with an octopus that seemed very interested in her most cherished toy. What followed was equal parts funny, frustrating, and unforgettable for everyone watching.
By the time the octopus made its move, Lucy had already learned the hard way that not every beach day ends with a ball in the sand.
According to TheConversation.com:
"Octopuses meet every criterion for the definition of intelligence: they show great flexibility in obtaining information (using several senses and learning socially), in processing it (through discriminative and conditional learning), in storing it (through long-term memory), and in applying it toward both predators and prey."
According to the Smithsonian, dogs "can understand up to 250 words, interpret human emotions, and even pull off crafty tricks when trying to score a snack."
And! According to Biogeoplanet: "There's a strong likelihood that an octopus is as smart as your average dog. Research has shown that the brain capacity of a giant Pacific octopus is roughly the same as that of a dog. In fact, octopuses like to play with dog toys!"
Surely Lucy didn't know any of this when her path crossed with an octopus that fateful day.
Riette Creighton, Lucy's owner, told The Dodo:
And just like the dog saved days after falling from a shrimp boat, this tennis-ball theft had everyone counting the odds.
Stunned to see the octopus, Lucy dropped her ball.
Creighton exclaimed:
"All of a sudden, we saw [the octopus] grabbing the ball. I think my reaction was the same as Lucy’s! I’ve never experienced anything like it. This was just next level!"
As previously mentioned, octopuses are actually known to enjoy dog toys, and this octopus clearly enjoyed Lucy's beloved ball.
Creighton said:
"He wrapped his tentacle around the ball and disappeared! We stood there for about 20 minutes, hoping the ball would surface, but no luck. It was gone!"
"She is such a gentle soul," Creighton said of his precious pup, Lucy.
Thankfully, Lucy was largely unbothered after her tennis ball disappeared into the depths with the octopus.
Creighton joked: "He's probably playing fetch with his buddies!"
Maybe we don't know for sure what the fate of the tennis ball truly was in the grip of the playful octopus, but Lucy certainly lucked out:
"She was back in the water the next day with a brand-new ball!"
After Luna’s five-week Pacific ordeal on San Clemente Island, you will never look at “rescued” the same way, read this German Shepherd’s survival story after five weeks at sea.
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