A Dundee man is celebrating after his chihuahua was found seven days after she went missing in Monifieth.
Emmock Woods resident Jonathan Lucas was on holiday in Turkey when his dog Lady took off from the Monifieth home of his pet-sitter.
The 12-year-old chihuahua somehow escaped through a tiny gap in the fenced-off garden in Angus Court last Sunday August 6.
Lady was being looked after by friend Ashley McLeod, who was not to blame for the dog’s disappearance.
But she was still devastated when the dog could not be located despite a huge search effort spearheaded by the Missing Pets, Dundee and Angus Facebook group.
However, Lady was found early on Sunday morning – exactly seven days after the disappearance – after renowned search dog Raven tracked her down to Ethiebeaton Quarry.
“I would love to thank every person on the page,” said Jonathan, 35.
“It feels as though Dundee and Monifieth came together for Lady.
“It makes me proud to call myself a Dundonian.”
Lady was weak and exhausted – but alive
Ashley’s cousin Nico Donague, also a friend of Jonathan, finally spotted Lady on rocks in the quarry just before 7am.
She was weak and exhausted but the only damage was a minor scuff on her head.
“I went to the highest point and looked for her,” Nico said.
“The quarry was quite deep and how she got in that particular spot I don’t know
“Today was probably the last day she could have been found – she was exhausted and there was no way she would have been able to get out where she was.
“It’s just a miracle.”
Big search for chihuahua missing from Monifieth
The happy ending followed a major search involving spotters, feeding stations, CCTV and even drones.
Instrumental in the operation were Linda Quinn, team manager of the Facebook page, and Nicky Beaton, who manages its team of volunteers.
Volunteer Amanda Fleming was particularly crucial in the effort.
Teams were set up around Dobbies, Premier Inn, Quarry Road, Grange Road and the South Grange Care Home, where Lady had been spotted at the beginning of the week.
But the real breakthrough came on Saturday when Raven, a six-year-old German Shepherd, pinpointed Lady’s scent at the quarry.
Raven is owned by James Watt, who is part of Search Dogs for Lost Dogs.
Members of the group are professionally trained by former military handlers at the National Association of Security Dog Users (Nasdu).
James says he has lost count of the number of times Raven has located lost dogs.
In the past two years, he has helped reunite a Boston terrier with his Kirriemuir owner, and a Brussels Griffon with his worried Dundee family.
But James says that a small chihuahua being discovered alive after seven days was unusual.
It is thought Lady may have been spending evenings resting at Ethiebeaton Farm.
Pet owner ‘felt helpless’ in Turkey
Jonathan flew to Antalya with his husband Dylan and adopted daughter Melody, 6, on July 29.
The make-up artist, who has his own business, was told of Lady’s disappearance midway through the two-week break.
“I never wanted to upset our daughter so tried to keep it to myself,” Jonathan said.
“But I got upset and couldn’t stop crying.
“So I had to tell her in the end.”
His instinct was to return home early.
But the cheapest flights he could find were £1,500 for a pair of tickets two days before he was due to return on Sunday.
So he had little choice but to sit it out.
“It was really, really hard,” Jonathan said.
“I felt helpless and couldn’t do anything.”
Off to Aldi for some steak and chicken
After a bout of late-holiday food poisoning and inevitable flight delays, Jonathan finally touched down in Scotland at 5am on Sunday.
Two hours later he received the voice note from Ashley that he was so desperate to hear.
“Ashley is amazing and has looked after Lady many times before,” he said.
“It is not her fault at all – it’s just one of those things that happen.”
Jonathan collected Lady from Tay Vets. He was told she was very weak but had suffered no lasting harm.
“The second she saw me her tail started wagging,” he said.
“We went straight to Aldi and I got her some steak, chicken, beef burgers, hot dogs – everything she wants.
“I’m booking her in for the best shampoo at a salon this week.
“I also have AirTags and a dog AirTag collar on its way so it doesn’t happen again.”
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