A frantic dog owner has told of her relief and gratitude after Nottinghamshire Police officers helped re-unite her with her treasured German Shepherd.
Blidworth woman Helen Firth was walking eight-month-old Seth off his lead along a local bridleway at around 10.30pm on Tuesday (25 May 2021) when he went missing.
She spent hours looking for him on Tuesday night and into the early hours of Wednesday and published an urgent appeal on Facebook but there was no sign of the canine.
Shortly after 2.45am on Wednesday Nottinghamshire Police received a call from a member of the public saying there was a dog in the middle of Rickett Lane, Blidworth. As the caller tried to walk towards the dog it headed towards a path which made the member of the public think it wanted to show him something.
Police officers quickly responded and, concerned the dog’s owner may have been taken unwell, deployed a force drone to search the area using its thermal imaging camera.
The dog was successfully retrieved and it was well looked after at the local police station while officers carried out checks in an attempt to trace its owner.
Officers took the canine to the vets for a check over and subsequent checks, including microchip details, led to them being able to track down the owner and reunite the pair at Ollerton Police Station on Wednesday afternoon.
Helen said: “I’ve had Seth since he was a puppy. I don’t know if he caught a scent while I walking him which was why he went after it and didn’t come back. I was frantic with worry. I was out looking for him until 2am today and I went back out at about 7am.
“I was so relieved where I heard the police had found Seth safe and well. He was laying on a fleece top which I’d left at the footpath after he went missing. I’m very grateful to the police officers for everything they did and I also want to thank the member of the public who called the police and all the people who helped look for him.”
Police constable Jason Fellows, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We understand the pain of losing a pet and that for many people your dogs are part of your family so I’m really pleased we managed to get this result and very happy ending. I was thrilled to be able to reunite Seth and Helen and I’m glad he’s now back at home.”
Nottinghamshire Police’s newly appointed dog theft lead, Chief Inspector Amy Styles-Jones, added: “This is such a heart-warming outcome and a testament to the commitment of the those involved, particularly our officers.
“Even though Seth was missing and there were no concerns about being stolen, the excellent response in this case shows how our dedicated officers will do everything they can to assist, showing their passion and commitment for providing the very best service to the public.”
