Testimonials

Me and my dog Mist are lucky enough to live near the woods in Dalbeattie and we love walking there. In November 2018 during a walk at the top of the woods, the worst thing happened. Mist disappeared. After 30 mins whistling and calling I started to panic. This was totally out of character for her. I put a photo of Mist on my Facebook page saying she was missing and started sharing it onto local pages.

It was then I discovered the Lost Dogs Facebook page. I shared my photo onto the page and within minutes Lee had contacted me and asked me to send her a contact number. By this stage over an hour had passed since I'd lost Mist. I was devastated!

Lee was amazing, she was calm and clear in her advice. To return to the area with something I'd been wearing, and some "smelly" food. She kept in touch with me for the next few hours whilst I followed advice and tried to continue my search of the woods.

By this time, due to the lost dogs network another volunteer had joined me in the woods to help search and the message had got out via the page so a small group of locals had gathered to help search too. One of the things I'd initially felt (as well as panic and fear of what had happened to my beloved dog) was isolation and just not knowing what to do for the best.

This was where Lee and her team of volunteers came in. They made me feel supported and Lee stayed calm throughout! She also suggested putting something I'd been wearing and some food outside my house as often dogs will find their way home using scent. By this time I was sick with worry there had been no sightings of Mist for 11hrs.

I had given up hope but Lee kept in touch and kept giving me confidence that another plan was in place to bring over a trap if Mist didn't return by the following morning. Her kindness and support at what was a horrendous time was so appreciated.

Mist had gone missing at 11am and at 10pm I heard a clatter outside my door. When I opened my door to see what it was a very wet, bedraggled Mist came running in!!! A little shaken but none the worst for her adventure!!!

Without the Lost Dogs D&G page I wouldn't have spoken to Lee and wouldn't have known things like putting out some clothing, not shouting your lost dog as this can make things worse. I was so grateful to Lee and her volunteers that I now volunteer myself as admin on the Facebook page and help when other dogs go missing in the woods.

Thank you Lee I will be forever grateful for you helping me find Mist. She's my best friend and companion and I couldn't have imagined life without her.

When our Skye went missing, Lee was instrumental in setting everything up . She kept me sane through it all. 

All ended well thanks to Lee.

I haven't needed help for a lost dog from the group, however, one night scrolling through facebook I came across a frantic post from an owner looking for help on the group when his recently adopted dog had been spooked and bolted on a walk.

Gremlins on facebook meant private messages weren't sending and lack of a phone number for the owner meant the group had to start giving help publicly on the group (which then continued due to fear of owner's phone ringing when the dog was close). So the securing of the dog unfolded live on the group for members to see. 

Lee and her team were fab. It was as if they were in the dogs mind and they kept the owner calm and gave him clear instructions. It was absolutely amazing to watch and I kept refreshing my facebook to check for comments. It was so intense and exciting as step-by-step everything that they said would happen, did happen - I was in awe.

The next morning I posted a comment on the group telling them I had watched as the owner did everything he was advised to do and as a result he got his fur baby back. Unknown to me loads of other people had done exactly the same and sat up watching and willing the dog home.

I am in no doubt I know where I’ll go if ever need help and the advice given that night will stay with me forever!!

I can’t praise them enough - new found heroes. Xxx

Losing your dog is the most devastating of events…….. All of my instincts were to run, chase and shout his name but in reality, I had just lost a little foster dog who had just come to my home. Hugo was timid, scared and confused. In fright he jumped a gate and he ran into a rural and wooded area he didn’t know.

The immediate days that followed were exhausting, frustrating and emotional. Everyone seems to claim to know how to catch a dog but in reality, they don’t. Sadly, for me I was led initially by some people who didn’t know. I have had dogs all of my life but catching one was something I didn’t know how to do. I felt desperate, vulnerable and scared for little Hugo.

Then there was a breakthrough – through The Red Foundation I found my way to Lee Herron who kindly advised, guided and supported me both with professional advice and also emotional support and kindness. She in turn utilised her expert network of contacts to ensure that distance wasn’t a barrier – I am based in Suffolk and she is in Scotland.

Within days I had a ring of steel of support around me and people who knew exactly what to do. Step-by-step they guided me on what to do and how to track and find him – my negativity turned to hope and my friends (and those I had barely met) worked to catch Hugo – which they did! Hugo is a 15-month old miniature dachshund and was outside for 12 nights and 13 days, in a strange area.

With the support of Lee and the wider team we caught and trapped him in a matter of days, but we wasted at least 8 days being misled by people who didn’t in reality have the equipment, expertise or knowledge.

In that time, he crossed major roads and the weather was appalling. He has permanent weather damage to his ears and is now terrified of things that scared him while he was out there.

If you are reading this and considering chasing, running and shouting the name of your four-legged beloved dog – please don’t. It is such a complex area and only with the advice and support of someone like Lee, who with skill and human kindness, will be able to guide your dog home to you.

You very, very kindly gave my son some fantastic advice to help us find Billy, our border collie. Your advice was invaluable and took us from a place of being rather lost and panicky to having a much clearer strategy for getting him back – which worked brilliantly this morning.

We returned in the early hours as suggested with our other dog to the area and Billy was there.

My husband and Max the Labrador found him, they had walked close to where he was last sighted last night and he smelled them but was really reluctant to come over at first – despite Max being his very best buddy!

Your advice was the lynchpin in finding our boy, thank you so much

This is a brilliant group -thank you so much for your advice in helping me get my recent rescue Misty home when she was spooked while out walking near the river in Troqueer. What a brilliant bunch of people. Lee was utterly fantastic as was everyone – faith in humanity is well and truly restored.

Jack (originally named Fred) was missing for five nights near Kirkpatrick Fleming after he was spooked an hour after arriving with me in his new home. He had arrived from his former home, a farm in Wales, and took off through the gate the night he arrived. He continued to run for miles, and we were always behind him.

Lee brought in cameras and allowed us to track his movements and we then were in a position to trap him after some sightings came in from a kind farmer.

I don’t know where I would be without Lee at Lost Dogs D&G. Without her help, Jack would still be running across the countryside and I’d never have got him back. Instead he is now sitting beside me at home, safe and sound.