A dog that had been running stray for over two weeks has been caught and is now being well cared for thanks to Northumberland County Council’s animal welfare team. 

 

The council received a call on Monday 7th April to say a six-month-old Lurcher cross called Marley had gone missing. 

 

Local Animal Welfare Officer Gemma leapt into action and organised numerous patrols in the Cramlington area over the following days looking for Marley at all hours of the day.  

 

She also went above and beyond by looking for Marley from early mornings to late evenings and weekends. Members of the public including a doctor from Cramlington Hospital also spent a lot of time searching for him and sharing sightings of the lost dog who still had his collar and leader attached. 

 

Gemma liaised with members of the public through social media for up-to-date sightings and called upon the help of The Lost Dog Trapping Team. Gemma met with the team and helped them erect cameras, feed stations and scent trails within the area to tempt Marley in - but every time they got close he got spooked and ran further afield. 

 

On Bank Holiday weekend, nearly two weeks after Marley went missing, Gemma and the Lost Dog Trapping Team erected a dog trap after spotting on their cameras that Marley was eating the food they had laid out for him. 

 

Marley was in a field adjacent to the A19 and A189 near the Moor Farm roundabout and there was real concern he would venture onto the road.  

 

The trap was set up and a feed station and scent trail were put down. The team made sure the area was silent so they didn't spook Marley further and within minutes of leaving he was in the trap and safe and secure. 

 

Marley was taken to Moorview Referrals for monitoring, nutrition and hydration and other then losing a substantial amount of weight and having ripped pads on his feet he was in remarkably good condition.  

 

Gemma said: 

  

“Marley was very timid after his adventure but has since started to come out of his shell enjoying walks and meeting other dogs and we are so happy to see his wagging tail again. 

 

“Sadly, Marley was unable to go home to his owner but is currently being fostered and is not looking for a new home at present. 

 

“I know there had been a lot of sightings and a lot of local people looking out for him and we thank them for all their help and interest. 

 

“If you own a dog, remember it is a legal requirement to microchip your dog and ensure the details stored on the microchip are up to date – as this case illustrates you just never know when your dog may go missing.” 

 

 If you ever have the misfortune of losing your dog you are advised to contact the local authority to report them missing. 

 

Mandy Butler from the Lost Dog Trapping Team added: 

 

 “No matter how friendly a dog normally is, when it strays for any length of time, it becomes frightened and timid and goes into flight and survival mode, often hiding and running away from strangers. Marley is young and clearly had a big shock when his owner collapsed. 

 

“In future instances such as this the public are advised , no matter how well intentioned, not to call or chase the dog but to notify the owner of the time and location you spotted it. This is the quickest way of ensuring the dog is reunited safely.”