Intrepid pet is reunited with owner after seven days lost in mountains
SURVIVING a week on a Scottish mountain would be a remarkable feat for any veteran outdoorsman.
But in an incredible tale, a two-yearold cockapoo has weathered seven days in some of the country’s most treacherous landscapes.
Rachael Nixon’s pet Ester went missing after slipping on rocks while the pair descended a precarious section of Ben Chonzie in Perthshire on October 17.
Miss Nixon, 32, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, walked more than 80 miles of every possible route on the 3,054ft Munro as she searched for her beloved dog.
The children’s charity worker even brought a barbecue to cook bacon and sausages in the wind and rain, hoping the smell would attract her pet.
Miss Nixon also enlisted the help of local farmers, rangers and fellow walkers in the hope that Ester could be found.
A drone was even flown over the area with an aerial camera to see if the missing pet could be spotted.
After a week with no news of her dog’s whereabouts, hopes were beginning to fade – until Miss Nixon received a voicemail from a farmer who believed that Ester had arrived on his property.
The dog had lost more than 4lb and is thought to have survived after coming across the body of a dead sheep. She was finally reunited with her owner this week.
Miss Nixon said: ‘My hopes were fading. I’d been back every single day, climbed up and down every possible route but there was no sign of Ester.
‘I covered about 80 miles in the time she was missing, walking the Munro and asking anyone I passed if they had seen anything.
‘I had made a decision to give it two weeks of searching before I’d accept she was gone for good, but I was pretty dejected.
‘Then out of the blue I had a voicemail on my phone from a very well-spoken Englishman who said they were convinced they had Ester at their farm. I couldn’t believe it. I was screaming but had to stay as calm as possible as the farm was an hour’s drive away.
‘Dogs go into survival mode and often don’t recognise their owners but as soon as she saw me she came bounding over – she was ecstatic.’
With the pair now reunited, Ester is getting plenty of pampering as she recovers from minor injuries.
Miss Nixon, who also had a poster campaign seeking information, said: ‘I’ve been overwhelmed by all the help and support.
‘Ester’s become a bit of a celebrity, getting offers of free grooming and recognised in the street.
‘She’s much tougher than she looks. She’s done brilliantly, I’m so proud.’