Villagers rally to find lost dog

Silchester residents praised as lurcher is reunited with his owner after four days

A nervous dog that went missing in Pamber Forest on Saturday was found safe and sound, thanks to Silchester villagers.

Geordie, a nine-year-old lurcher, was being walked in Pamber Forest by Liz Kounnou and her family, when he was spooked by a boisterous puppy on a lead. He slipped his collar and ran away.

Over the next three days he was seen on the Bramley Road, behind Silchester House and around Silchester, but by the time the owners arrived he had disappeared again.

The breakthrough came after he was seen a number of times near the Calleva Arms pub on Monday and Tuesday.

Mrs Kounnou said: “Geordie came to the Calleva Arms in Silchester just before 5pm today (Tuesday). He’d been following a pattern and we had missed him yesterday.

“We were determined not to move from there today.”

They were able to catch Geordie and take him home.

Mrs Kounnou added: “He’s thin, a bit scratched but generally OK. Vet check tomorrow, but the tail is wagging.”

The residents of Silchester had rallied around with people looking for him, handing out flyers and generally keeping Mrs Kounnou aware of any sightings.

Mrs Kounnou said: “Heartfelt thanks to everyone. You’ve kept us going knowing everyone was looking. Thank you.”

“Everybody has been so kind and were trying to help find him. They were actively going out to look for him.”

The lurcher was a rescue dog from Newbury Dogs Trust and currently lives on the Isle of Wight with Mrs Kounnou’s son Robert Sherwood, who was visiting her for a family funeral.

Mrs Kounnou said: “He is frightened of everything; fireworks and loud bangs and there are a lot of fireworks at this time of year.”

Before he was rescued by Newbury Dogs Trust, Geordie had been ill-treated. He bears pellet scars on his back and has part of an ear missing.