After 16 cold and lonely nights surviving on stale hors d'oeuvres at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, Emma the German shepherd was living the life of a princess again Friday.
A worldwide star following her evacuation Thursday from the home where Marxist rebels hold her owner and 73 others as hostages, Emma was lapping up the attention."Japanese Embassy personnel are taking care of her for the time being. She has a big appetite and ate a lot of meat yesterday," a spokesman for Japan's diplomatic task force in Lima said.
The only "hostage" to be released from the diplomatic compound since Wednesday, Emma looked dejected and emaciated as she padded slowly into the arms of waiting Red Cross officials Thursday after being enticed out with Christmas cake.
"Today, she had a medical check-up at a veterinary hospital and was later bathed," the spokesman added.
The 10-year-old pet of Japanese Ambassador Morihisa Aoki was believed to have been eating leftovers from the lavish buffet stormed by Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement rebels at the residence Dec 17. She also went without drinking water.