FIND GRIZZY!
Search party of pooches sniff out friend who had been missing for 3 days
IT was a game of fetch with far more at stake than usual.
Grizzy the border terrier was missing – and heartbroken owner Katherine Evans had already spent days searching for any sign of her beloved pet.
She admitted she was losing hope of ever seeing him again … until, that is, reinforcements arrived in the shape of this furry band of fellow border terriers.
The saga started when eight-yearold Grizzy managed to wriggle free during a walk last week and vanished into the wilds of Richmond Park, south-west London, leaving his owner far behind.
Unknown to Miss Evans, he became trapped in the undergrowth of the 2,500-acre park, with his lead tangled around a tree and no food or water. After searching for two days without finding her pet, the 33-year-old music teacher feared the worst.
But on Saturday morning, when she arrived at the park’s Kingston Gate to continue her search, she was surprised to find a crowd of border terriers and their owners waiting for her – all of whom had all befriended Grizzy during previous walks.
With the pack of furry pals taking charge of the search-and-rescue operation, they were soon able to sniff out their lost friend – and 64 hours after he first went missing, Grizzy leapt into Miss Evans’ arms as they were reunited.
Miss Evans, from Richmond upon Thames, said she does not allow rescue dog Grizzy off the lead while they’re out. ‘I tried to train him but he’s a terrier so he’s got a strong hunting instinct,’ she said. ‘Unfortunately he pulled really hard and the lead fell out of my hand. I ran after him for 200 metres but he was gone.
‘I was beside myself. This was at 6.45pm on Wednesday so it was getting dark. It’s a massive park.’
Describing the moment a member of the search party spotted Grizzy after the other dogs led them to him, Miss Evans said: ‘I was running with tears in my eyes. Grizzy was there, jumping up and down.
‘He was really thirsty and hungry but, amazingly, he was unscathed.
I was in floods of tears of joy – everyone was crying.’
She added: ‘It’s been such a rollercoaster of emotions. I was grieving massively. It shows the power of kindness. The kindness from people, all for the love of dogs.
‘Grizzy’s settling back in at home. He’s having so many cuddles now.’