London family celebrate pet’s return
A family from Clapham, South London, are celebrating after being reunited with their pet cocker spaniel more than three weeks after he went missing.
Four-year-old Fergus was snatched at Haxted Kennels, along with Sophie the daschund, between August 4 and 5. His owners, the Thomas family, were holidaying in Africa when the incident took place on Dwelly Lane in Edenbridge. They were informed of the bad news while still overseas.
Upon returning home on August 17, the family gathered to come to terms with the fact that they may never see their four-legged friend again. Sam spoke of their heartbreak, saying:
“We emotionally shut a door thinking we would not see him again but always hoped that we might.”
She felt sure that the criminals had robbed the children of a family pet, but thanks to help from friends, TV presenter Ben Fogle and the Surrey Police, Fergus was found. Mrs Thomas’s friend, Laura Wallace, also set up a number of social media campaigns to raise awareness and gather relevant information.
Soon after, an anonymous tip-off led them to the dog at a house in the Godstone area. Mike Simmonds from the Surrey Police has been praised for his role in tracking down the pooch. The cocker spaniel was returned to his owners on August 25.
Despite his ordeal, the only visible physical mark was a bald patch on his neck, where the crooks attempted to remove his microchip. Fergus is now recovering well and the Thomas family will celebrate his fifth birthday in October. Nine-year-old Sophie was also found safe on August 29.
