Two beloved pet dogs that vanished while they were out for a walk in the hills are safe at home thanks to the smell of grilled sausages.
Miniature schnauzers Charlie and Theo were missing for four days after disappearing in thick fog on the Red Pike fell near Buttermere, Cumbria.
Distraught owners Liz and Graham Hampson launched a rescue campaign and sought help from mountain rescue teams, family and friends.
There was no sign of the dogs as more than 120 people and two drones scoured the hills, so Liz and Graham decided to try to lure them with their favourite bangers.
They set up a barbecue near the spot where Charlie and Theo, who are father and son, vanished and shouted the dogs’ names.
To their amazement, a short time later the dogs appeared through the trees, leading to an emotional reunion.
Liz, 49, from nearby Cockermouth, said: “When they first appeared it was like a mirage. I could not believe it was them.
“My husband ran up the hill to grab them as I was just shaking and crying. I could not function.
“The dogs are just gorgeous, and they are part of our family. It would be horrible not to have them around.
“They absolutely love sausages. They have them every Sunday for breakfast, so if there was one food they were going to come back for, it was sausages.”
Liz and Graham’s son John was walking Charlie, aged seven, and Theo, aged 15 months, on top Red Pike fell on June 16.
The weather turned at lunchtime and a thick mist rolled in, causing the 21-year-old to lose sight of the dogs.
He rang his mum straight away to let her know what had happened, and they immediately started to form a rescue party.
Liz said: “I was beside myself when John called. The dogs walk off lead when there is no livestock around and are used to being on the fells.
“It was a horrible phone call. We called our family and messaged friends and put out an appeal for people to look out for them on Facebook and Twitter.
“I also have a few friends who are part of mountain rescue groups so I asked if they could keep their eyes peeled if they were called out to a rescue.”
Liz and Graham spent the first night camping on the fell and calling the dogs’ names trying to get them to come back.
They then spent the next few days over Father’s Day weekend hiking all around the area in hot weather trying to find them.
On the morning of June 19, Mark Steel, a GP and member of Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team, said the dogs were likely on the other side of the fell, near Gillerthwaite.
Together they hatched a plan to get the dogs back, and started barbecuing sausages.
Liz said: “It was great to see them appear through the trees.”
“They were thin, and they smelled, but thankfully they’d kept themselves hydrated in the heat.
“We took them to the vets the next day and they were given a clean bill of health.”
She added: “My son is in the navy and we rang him first to tell him. A huge cheer went up on his ship.
“Charlie and Theo are actually dad and son so we’re now joking they had a Father’s Day weekend.
“And they’ve told us nothing about what happened. I guess what goes on tour, stays on tour.”
Malnourished and Helpless Mother Dog Desperately Seeks Adoption While Nurturing Her Six Puppies
Seeing an animal suffer is one of the most upsetting sights we can witness in our lives. When we hear stories that touch our emotions, it’s difficult to walk on without wondering if they had happy endings. That is possibly why we feel comforted when we see animal lovers and rescuers compassionately helping these terrible animals.
And here is the story of Hope’s little daughter and her offspring, who were abandoned long before the dog gave birth. This truth made it painfully evident that the unfortunate animal had to suffer for a long time.
The sad truth was only revealed when an animal rights activist approached the area where the hairy girl lay. Hope was cuddled by the female, who assured her that she was nursing six little puppies. As a demonstrator, she declared she had never witnessed anything so destructive to her spirit.
“I was ready to feed all the dogs when Hope, a female who was half her type’s size and could hardly move, approached me with her sparkling eyes,” the rescuer explained.
She took her in her arms tenderly and without hesitation. She learned there were ten cubs, four of which died as a result of the savagery they had been put to alongside their mother and siblings.
Some of these innocent little canines perished as a result of snake bites, others as a result of harsh weather, but the four that died unfairly, with no one to blame, were truly tragic.
Hope was in a precarious situation. Her weight was less than half that of an animal her size, breed, and age. She did needed to feed eight cubs in order to keep them all alive.
The lady realized she had to do everything she could to ensure that the animals could be adopted and receive the care they needed to live and heal. As a result, she began to provide for certain families who took charge of their own life.
One of the baptized children, Teddy, now lives like a king. The activist promises him that she will always love him and be his godmother, and she is glad for the aid.
Caramelo and Tobby were also adopted, while Lola, Coco, and Max were still waiting for their families. Max, on the other hand, died in agony from a gastrointestinal infection.
“Thankfully, Coco is now with a new family; Lola was still behind, but the efforts continued,” the campaigner stated.
Hope has already been sterilized, and all of the children have found loving homes, much to everyone’s satisfaction.
Despite the fact that they were late for Lola, she was finally able to fly after 7 months of waiting. Since then, she has been enjoying her new life with her brother Alex.
Despite her problems, Hope is a vibrant young woman who is eager to share her love and friendship. You will never have to go through the anguish of a road maternity again. Share this emotional savior with others.
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