Elderly Camelon couple's thanks after missing rescue dog is found

A dog which went on the run after her elderly owner slipped during a walk has been found.
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Romanian rescue dog Molly darted off in a state of fear when Neil Howieson accidentally let go of her lead near The Falkirk Wheel last Tuesday.

The pensioner and his wife, Sandra, enlisted the help of daughter Wendy Hagen who took to Facebook to launch a desperate appeal to find Molly.

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The Camelon couple, who are in their 70s and 80s, soon learned their pet had been seen in the Rosebank area of Falkirk.

Romanian rescue dog Molly ran off from her owner near The Falkirk Wheel last week. Contributed.Romanian rescue dog Molly ran off from her owner near The Falkirk Wheel last week. Contributed.
Romanian rescue dog Molly ran off from her owner near The Falkirk Wheel last week. Contributed.

However, due to her “timid” nature, Molly repeatedly ran off whenever a member of the public – or even her owners – approached her.

Charity Wendy’s Woofers, which took care of the dog before she was offered a home by the Howiesons, also got involved and secured the support of a Lanarkshire-based rescue team.

Fortunately, with the help of Molly’s original foster carer, she was discovered and collected this morning (Monday).

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The pooch was found to have suffered a wound to her neck and is now being checked over by a vet.

Detailing the ordeal, Ms Hagen said: “My dad had her out for a walk at the railway bridge at The Falkirk Wheel.

“The path was very slippy and a wee girl slipped and knocked my dad and the dog. The wee girl and the dog got a fright and so did my dad. He slipped and the dog bolted because she’s very timid.

“She spent three days in the Rosebank area. We staked a street out where she’d been seen in gardens and were down there the night before last when we got a call to say that she was sitting at a neighbour’s front door, three doors down from my parents’ house.

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“Somebody had gone over to her and she’d run away because she’s so timid. We based ourselves in Ochiltree Terrace and Easter Carmuirs Park, which is an area she knows because she walks there with my dad.

“We put out meat trails and my mum and dad and I were in the house all night with the front and back doors open. We put out scent trails, using my dad’s T-shirts, coming towards the house.

“Yesterday morning my dad was out for his normal walk at 7am and she was in Ochiltree Terrace but she bolted because she got a fright. I spotted her ten minutes later and she did the same thing.

“Last night a camera trap was set up in the front garden and she came to the trap and had a wee feed but didn’t go far enough to trigger it.

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“The foster mum came through at 5am and put a blanket down in the park and lay on the grass. Molly wandered up and she just grabbed her.”

Ms Hagen, of Bonnybridge, added: “Everybody has been amazing. My phone hasn’t stopped going since we put out details on social media.

“We just want to thank absolutely everybody who phoned, texted or saw Molly and got in contact with us.

“The rescue team did amazing work. Without their help, we wouldn’t have her – they’re just amazing people.

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“Thank you to everybody in Camelon. Everybody has taken Molly to heart.”

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