Christmas came early for dog lover Alison Hurley after her beloved springer spaniel pup Monty went missing in Keswick.
And, remarkably, the hero of the hour was another springer spaniel with something of a reputation for finding lost animals.
Monty was out for a walk in Fitz Park in Keswick last week when he was frightened by a sudden noise and bolted.
Despite initial sightings nearby, the 11-month-old dog disappeared in the direction of the A66 – leading to a major hunt led by Alison, her family, and kind-hearted members of the public alerted to the situation on Facebook.
Alison, 48, of Wigton, said: “We’d been for lunch at Bassenthwaite and I’d let Monty off the lead to stretch his legs in the park before we headed home.
‘’He’s normally very good and stays beside me, but on this occasion he was spooked by a clanking noise and ran off.
“My dad Alan spotted him in a car park, but Monty was too fast to be caught.
‘’The next thing we heard was that he had been seen near the A66 – so obviously I was terrified about what might happen.”
While Alison and her dad led the search on the ground, daughter Lauren posted an online appeal on Facebook which quickly went viral.
Sporadic reports of sightings followed, but as the hours passed and darkness fell, hopes dwindled of ever finding Monty. It was not until the next morning when the call came to say the pup had been spotted.
Keswick locksmith Kerry Irving, whose three springer spaniels Harry, Max and Paddy became internet video sensations during lockdown, happened to be out walking his dogs on open land near Portinscale, known as The Howe, when Harry suddenly caught a scent.
“He went into full pointer mode, and then suddenly a young springer spaniel shot out of the undergrowth and took off across the field,” Kerry said.
“I’d been following the posts about Monty, and I knew immediately it was him.”
According to Kerry, Harry is well known for rescuing lambs that have become separated from their flock.
“He’s got a very sensitive nose and obviously picked up the scent.
“I immediately got on the phone to Alison to tell her Monty had been found.”
The pup was soon reunited with his delighted owner, who said: “It’s the best Christmas present ever, and I just want to thank everyone who came together to offer
support when he was missing.”
Harry is the youngest of Kerry’s three dogs. Max, the eldest at 14, is credited with rescuing Kerry from the depths of depression following a car accident in 2006.
Their daily Facebook Live videos became a lifeline for hundreds of thousands when the world went into lockdown.
In February, Max was presented with the PDSA Order of Merit, also known as the animals’ OBE, for his outstanding contribution to society, and a statue to Max the Miracle Dog was unveiled in Hope Park in July.
