Sheepdog missing for almost three weeks finally reunited with her owners
A beloved sheepdog missing for almost three weeks was finally reunited with her owners - after her own mum was drafted into the search party to sniff her out. Border Collie Chloe was with her new family for less than 24 hours when she miraculously managed to leap out of a six-foot high enclosure on their farm. The Allison family from Cheshire immediately launched a desperate rescue effort, which involved a specialist canine search team and hours of searching the countryside. When the two-year-old pooch still hadn't been found three weeks later it seemed like all hope was lost - until Chloe's mum Seren arrived on the scene to help. Seren was deployed in an area of woodland where Chloe had recently been spotted and immediately picked up a scent before trotting off in pursuit. Incredibly, within minutes, the older canine had discovered where her pup was and ushered her safely back to the Allison family, who broke down in tears at the emotional reunion.Mum-of-three Marcelle, 38, said: "It was an incredibly emotional moment."Chloe had been missing for so long and we had spent so much time and effort looking for her during that time. "To finally have her back was a huge relief and a very happy moment. "Everyone who was there burst into tears, even people who didn't know her and had just volunteered to help."She added: "Having Seren come in to try and help was the last roll of the dice really. "We had tried absolutely everything before that without having any luck, so this was a bit of a desperate effort. "But it ended up working, I still can't really believe it."Marcelle and her family, husband Chris, 38, their daughters Misha, 12, and Milan, ten, and son Kirsten, eight, moved to the UK from South Africa three years ago. They collected Chloe from her previous owners in Wales on January 13. According to Marcelle, she was a "little nervous" that evening but generally seemed fine and she was helped to meet and integrate with the family's other seven dogs.The next morning Chloe, along with the other pups, was being kept inside a large enclosure with a six-foot high fence before she suddenly disappeared. Hairdresser Marcelle said: "One minute she was in there and the next she was gone. "None of our other dogs has ever even come close to getting out of that enclosure, I have no idea how Chloe managed it."She added: "We're not sure why she did it, a lot of planes go over our farm so perhaps she got scared."The Allison family immediately launched a search operation, which involved scouring the countryside around their home near Knutsford. They were also assisted by a non-profit organisation called the Lost Dog Capture Team, a team of volunteers who try to help reunite lost dogs with their owners. Hundreds of 'missing' posters were plastered in the area while a drone was sent into the air to survey the area from above in hopes of a sighting. After being missing for around two weeks, Chloe was finally spotted by a member of the public in a field six miles from home, although she was too scared to approach anyone.Marcelle said: "It was such a relief to get a sighting and it also meant we could concentrate our search on that area."The search team tried to lure Chloe out with food but anytime she caught sight of a person she would scurry away back into woodland, Marcelle said. On around the 18th day they were so desperate that Marcelle called Chloe's previous owner, as she thought her voice might help draw her from the woodland. However, the owner went one better and brought Chloe's mum Seren to the scene. Marcelle said: "Seren and Chloe obviously knew each other really well, they had slept in the same kennel for a long time."We thought getting her involved was the only option. "As soon as she arrived her head was to the ground and she was sniffing away in the direction of the woods where Chloe had been seen. "When Chloe saw her mum she ran straight to her, it was incredible."Marcelle said Chloe was then put on a lead and fed some chicken. She added that although the pooch had clearly scavenged food and drink from somewhere she had clearly lost a lot of weight, and was absolutely ravenous. They then returned home, where Chloe barely got out of bed for the next four days.Marcelle said: "She was absolutely shattered."She added: "Chloe is happy and healthy at home now. "She was very nervous after getting her back initially but she is getting better and better."She can even go out for a run off the lead now."
A beloved sheepdog missing for almost three weeks was finally reunited with her owners - after her own mum was drafted into the search party to sniff her out.
Border Collie Chloe was with her new family for less than 24 hours when she miraculously managed to leap out of a six-foot high enclosure on their farm.
The Allison family from Cheshire immediately launched a desperate rescue effort, which involved a specialist canine search team and hours of searching the countryside.
When the two-year-old pooch still hadn't been found three weeks later it seemed like all hope was lost - until Chloe's mum Seren arrived on the scene to help.
Seren was deployed in an area of woodland where Chloe had recently been spotted and immediately picked up a scent before trotting off in pursuit.
Incredibly, within minutes, the older canine had discovered where her pup was and ushered her safely back to the Allison family, who broke down in tears at the emotional reunion.Mum-of-three Marcelle, 38, said: "It was an incredibly emotional moment."Chloe had been missing for so long and we had spent so much time and effort looking for her during that time.
"To finally have her back was a huge relief and a very happy moment.
"Everyone who was there burst into tears, even people who didn't know her and had just volunteered to help."She added: "Having Seren come in to try and help was the last roll of the dice really.
"We had tried absolutely everything before that without having any luck, so this was a bit of a desperate effort.
"But it ended up working, I still can't really believe it."Marcelle and her family, husband Chris, 38, their daughters Misha, 12, and Milan, ten, and son Kirsten, eight, moved to the UK from South Africa three years ago.
They collected Chloe from her previous owners in Wales on January 13.
According to Marcelle, she was a "little nervous" that evening but generally seemed fine and she was helped to meet and integrate with the family's other seven dogs.The next morning Chloe, along with the other pups, was being kept inside a large enclosure with a six-foot high fence before she suddenly disappeared.
Hairdresser Marcelle said: "One minute she was in there and the next she was gone.
"None of our other dogs has ever even come close to getting out of that enclosure, I have no idea how Chloe managed it."She added: "We're not sure why she did it, a lot of planes go over our farm so perhaps she got scared."The Allison family immediately launched a search operation, which involved scouring the countryside around their home near Knutsford.
They were also assisted by a non-profit organisation called the Lost Dog Capture Team, a team of volunteers who try to help reunite lost dogs with their owners.
Hundreds of 'missing' posters were plastered in the area while a drone was sent into the air to survey the area from above in hopes of a sighting.
After being missing for around two weeks, Chloe was finally spotted by a member of the public in a field six miles from home, although she was too scared to approach anyone.Marcelle said: "It was such a relief to get a sighting and it also meant we could concentrate our search on that area."The search team tried to lure Chloe out with food but anytime she caught sight of a person she would scurry away back into woodland, Marcelle said.
On around the 18th day they were so desperate that Marcelle called Chloe's previous owner, as she thought her voice might help draw her from the woodland.
However, the owner went one better and brought Chloe's mum Seren to the scene.
Marcelle said: "Seren and Chloe obviously knew each other really well, they had slept in the same kennel for a long time."We thought getting her involved was the only option.
"As soon as she arrived her head was to the ground and she was sniffing away in the direction of the woods where Chloe had been seen.
"When Chloe saw her mum she ran straight to her, it was incredible."Marcelle said Chloe was then put on a lead and fed some chicken.
She added that although the pooch had clearly scavenged food and drink from somewhere she had clearly lost a lot of weight, and was absolutely ravenous.
They then returned home, where Chloe barely got out of bed for the next four days.Marcelle said: "She was absolutely shattered."She added: "Chloe is happy and healthy at home now.
"She was very nervous after getting her back initially but she is getting better and better."She can even go out for a run off the lead now."
