Photo: CTV News

A lost dog on Vancouver Island has been reunited with its owners, three months later, after being found in an ocean-side cave.

CTV News reports Matty Johnson and Zach Regan were on an overnight surfing and fishing trip near the Juan de Fuca trail last week. While near Magdalena Point, something caught their attention.

“Just glancing in the caves as we were going by, I saw tan legs walk out, just a glimpse, and I thought, ‘Oh that looks like an animal,’” Regan told CTV.

The pair managed to help the dog into their boat and bundled it in a lifejacket. 

After CTV ran its first story on Sunday, Leslie Steeves of  Reuniting Owners with Animals Missing says someone called her claiming to be the dog’s owner.

“It blew my mind I, couldn’t comprehend it,” Regan told CTV. “She was in shock too. As she was talking I was like, ‘How is this possible?’”

The dog, named Stella, has been missing since May 2 when the owners, while on their honeymoon, lost her. They spent five days hiking and searching for their pet.

Stella was reunited with her owner Monday morning.

“As soon as Stella had seen the car and her owner she perked up 10 times more than she did this morning and they had their reunion really fast,” said Regan.

with files from CTV Vancouver Island