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.”
Heartwarming Rescue: Heroic Efforts to Save an Elderly Canine Stranded on an Ice Floe in the Freezing River for Hours
“From Frigid Waters to a Warm Home: Lucy’s Remarkable Rescue and Heartwarming Reunion”
The initial days in a new home can be quite overwhelming for a rescue dog, often leading them to attempt to run away. Such was the case with Lucy, a recently adopted Labradoodle who managed to slip away from her new owner during a walk. Fortunately, locating Lucy didn’t take long, but bringing her back home proved to be a challenging task.
To everyone’s surprise, Lucy ended up stranded on a large piece of ice in the icy waters of the Detroit River. It remains a mystery how she got there, but there she was, clinging to the drifting ice with frigid water flowing around her. The situation was dire, with the risk of hypothermia looming if she remained on the ice much longer. Responding swiftly to the distress call, a team of Wyandotte police officers, firefighters, and animal control officers arrived to lend a hand.
Upon arrival, they found Lucy, trembling and drenched, lying on the ice. Determined to save her, they managed to maneuver the ice chunk closer to the riverbank. A firefighter bravely stood on a slippery, submerged ladder while his colleagues provided essential support by holding onto him with a rope.
“The poor pooch somehow managed to climb onto a chunk of ice but it was drifting away in the river while the dog was freezing,” the police department recounted.
During the daring rescue operation, one firefighter held a ladder against a nearby dock, while another descended it into the freezing water. With the help of a tool called a catchpole, they gently looped it around Lucy’s neck, carefully pulling her towards the ladder. Although the terrified pup had to endure a few seconds in the icy water, the firefighter held her securely in his arms.
Wyandotte Assistant Fire Chief Tom Lyon later described the heartwarming outcome, saying, “It had such a happy outcome. She just had those big brown eyes, and she couldn’t talk, but she probably was just so grateful.”
Lucy was promptly warmed up, and her worried owner was overjoyed to be reunited with her. After a thorough examination by a veterinarian, Lucy received a clean bill of health.
It’s safe to say that Lucy will be spending her days cozily wrapped in a blanket, basking in the warmth of her new home with her loving family.
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