Rover lived up to his name – and was saved!

ADOTING pair of dog owners who ‘never gave up’ after their beloved cocker-spaniel went missing were rewarded after launching a massive four-day search and social media campaign.

Alan and Laura Knell, of Preston Brook, were devastated when they learned that Rover had run off from a groomers and set about trying to find him.

Thanks to a huge swell of public support, reports of sightings of the dog began to reach them from areas such as Beechwood, around the Old Town and Weston Point.

They thought Rover was trying to make his way home and was sticking close to the railway lines, drawn by the scent of static.

The couple recruited the ‘amazing’ help of Donna Ryan, founder of Bindi’s Lost And Found Pets, and together they rallied public interest to the cause.

After four days and with the hot weather increasing the risk of dehydration, the clock was ticking to save Rover, and their dauntless efforts were rewarded with a call from a Network Rail worker who found Rover on the lines.

The parched pooch ‘didn’t stop drinking’ when found, and the tears flowed as the railway crew also wept with relief.

Network Rail said mobile operations manager Andy Smith was among those who went to look for him, and although he found Rover on June 2, the dog escaped again before finally being brought to safety away from the line.

Andy enlisted colleague Dave Ball, Network Rail off-track team leader, and railway maintenance workers from contractor EA Formby Ltd, who all downed tools for the search.

The team eventually found Rover on a railway embankment about two miles from where he had escaped.

After 15 minutes of patiently waiting for the cautious canine to accept their help, the team coaxed Rover to safety and he was returned to owners Alan and Laura after four days of hide and seek.

Although Rover had suffered a cut and had burned his paws slightly, he is now back to his old self.

Alan told the Weekly News: quite an adventure frankly.

“He’s doing absolutely fine now, he’s been the vets, had his blood tests.

“But sore, a couple of cuts, his paws had a bit of burn and damage to his eye. The swelling’s down.

“He’s up running round, getting round and getting back to full strength.

“Not that it was just heat exhaustion,

“It’s

Above, Alan and Laura with Rover after his ordeal; right, with contractor Eric Formby they think he was covering five to six miles a day running from 11 in the morning to six at night.

“He was covering a hell of a lot of ground.

“He got lost in the Old Town and got to Beechwood about half a mile from Preston Brook where we live and 50 minutes later he got spotted in Weston Point.”

“He was then at the bus depot, he was using railway lines, bus depots and canals – he was hard to track.”

He added: I’d say the most humbling thing was the people of Runcorn were amazing, honest to God, it just seemed to galvanise the whole town.

“When there’s not much good news around, it’s a bit of hope and something for people to focus on.

“People were going out on their bikes looking for him.

“His Facebook page got 1,800 likes.

“I was looking at the insights – that page had 70,000 impressions, we had messages from America and round the world. The people of Runcorn really stepped up. People came up saying ‘we’re looking for a dog Rover’ and I’d say ‘it’s my dog’!

“It’s just amazing for the town. A good news story.

“I can’t really thank people enough. “He’s been getting the fresh mince and gravy and freshly cooked chicken. He’s getting a spoiled rotten.

“The day after, a lot of people called round with toys and treats that people left on the doorstep: people knocking, stepping back saying ‘I’ve left some toys for the dog’ and ‘bring the dog to your door’.

“They’ve never met Rover, it was the first time they’d met him, it was really nice.”

“We never gave up on him.”

Above, the contractors who found Rover

Right, back home with

Alan and Laura

Dave Ball at Network Rail said: “Many of us in my team are dog lovers with pets of our own.

“Rover is a beautiful Cocker Spaniel and clearly well looked after, so we are so happy that he is reunited safely with his family.

“It must have been really scary for Rover by the railway and we’re really glad to have got him safely away from danger and back home where he belongs.”

Donna Ryan, of Bindi’s Lost And Found Pets, said: “We had been looking for Rover for four days in the very hot weather.

“I am very happy he was returned to Alan and Laura.

“We are very grateful to Network Rail and the Runcorn community for their work to find him.”

Due to the danger on railway lines, anyone who sees a dog on the track is advised to ring the Network Rail helpline on 03457 114 141.

Owners are advised to never venture onto railway lines to look for an animal as there are many hidden dangers on the tracks and the consequences could be fatal.