Dora, a Romanian rescue dog, new to a foster placement, bolted while on a walk on the 7 December 2020 in Withington, M20. This is from her fosterers: “Hope no one minds this post – we just wanted to give a huge shout out to Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search & Rescue Capture Team who have helped us to bring our lost dog, Dora, home this week.
To Michelle Newns-peers and Pat Willis – your advice and guidance has been nothing short of amazing and your knowledge has helped us through a very scary time. We had total trust in your services and expertise and I can’t recommend you highly enough.
Well this week has been one of the worst weeks ever as our Dora bolted on Monday as am sure you all know now. Things happened very quickly and lots of people got involved in helping search for her and spread the word, and to each one of you I am truly grateful. You’ve shown me what a community is again. We had sightings on Monday and Tuesday in Chorlton and Whalley Range. We spent a good few hours walking around each day, leafleting and searching. With emotions up and down as sightings came in and then none. Wednesday we had no sightings at all which was awful. Then Thursday we had a few sightings reported but from the day before! So it’s been hard to keep up with them. Dora was spotted along the Fallowfield Loop on Wednesday and then I walked the loop yesterday and postered it as much as I could. Had a sighting there last night after I got home and then two sightings today there. We got in touch with a wonderful group called Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search & Rescue Capture Team who have been so amazing and helpful and given us advice and support on the best way to approach this. The plan was to be assured of where Dora was staying and then perhaps set up a camera and a trap to contain her until we got there. Today I met with Pat from the search and rescue team to do a recce of the area and work out the best place to situate the trap etc. We did a few hours of walking and waiting and Dora appeared to us almost immediately but never came over. As time went on, we laid some sausage around and after we had left, Dora would eat it and then run off back into the shrubbery and reappear later. At one point, I was leaning on a stone monument where she was seen mainly in the hope of luring her out, but no sign. So walked away and sat a safe distance on a log with Pat. Pat threw her sausage pieces here and there and I followed and made no movement or looked at her. This made Dora come closer but didn’t acknowledge I was her mum. Still we waited and the plan was for Pat to wait for Michelle to some and set up the trap, then Dora appeared right by us, so I threw more sausage under Pat’s instructions and Dora came ever closer until the “switch” went as she sniffed my feet and realised who I was! It was an amazing moment and she did a little wriggly dance and a little
cry and her tail was flapping and I got kisses whilst she was on her back legs! Pat said if I could gently hook under her collar with my fingers then I could try, so I did and the first time it didn’t work but she came back and the second time it did and I was able to put the slip lead on her. So we got her back! Had no idea it would be this way but am so so happy! Pat brought me and Pippa and Dora home! They’re both crashed out and Dora has eaten a ton of food and is sleeping in her usual spot – right by my feet. This has been an awful week for us but we’re so thankful to each and everyone of you who has messaged or run us about or helped in the search or networked this. It’s very humbling and both myself and Fay Baker Williams thank you all so much! JUST A HUGE THANK YOU! Greater Manchester Lost Dog Search & Rescue Capture Team
