20th March 2010

Travelodge one of the UK's largest chain of hotels have turned to Tom Watkins our founder for help. As a pet friendly hotel they expected 300 pooches to stay at one of their hotels throughout the midlands during Crufts 2010.
Tom said: 'We are delighted to assist Travelodge with this initiative and it is refreshing to see a large chain of top quality hotels taking the needs of guests and their pets seriously' Read about the idea on OK magazine online

12th February 2010

Whilst on a search for Rocky- a missing ragdoll cat from Bradford, West Yorkshire. Two members of the search team, namely Tom and Jaimes were invited to appear on the Drivetime show by BBC LEEDS presenter Steve Bailey. We are pleased to report that after their 400 mile round trip, full search and enquiries- combined with the publicity provided by the BBC both on local radio and the news programme LOOK NORTH and the local newspaper the Telegraph and Argus that Rocky is now home safe and well. It is believed that he was trapped in a building and was released by someone prompted to have a look by the publicity in a locked building / shed / garage etc almost 4 weeks after going missing- watch the Happy tails section for the full survival story when he is well enough for a photo with mum.

His owner Sophia has asked us to express her thanks to the BBC in particular who showed an interest in the story and the pet detectives on the trail of the escapee. Animal Search UK are also very grateful for the help recieved with local publicity and raising awareness of the search. Tune in to 92.4FM, 95.3FM & DAB BBC Leeds to hear their great shows and local and national news reports.

31st January 2010

After a wonderful family Christmas- the Jenkins family from Hereford were looking forward to the New Year and the spring of 2010. When on the 28th December their festive spirit was shattered as Smokey one of their 3 family cats failed to return home as normal.

After contacting their vet 'The Laurels Veterinary Centre in Ryelands Street Hereford- they were advised to contact Animal Search UK. When Tom took the call in the HQ little did either the owner or Tom know about the Christmas adventure that Smokey was involved in. With temperatures plummeting to approx minus 5c his owners feared the worst and a search was mounted within days of Smokey first being put on this website. 2 team members Adrian (Our newest recruit) and Tom the founder of Animal Search UK braved snow and ice to visit approx 40 houses in and around the area that Smokey was missing from. The reaction from householders in the area was fantastic.

Tom said 'People were coming out wearing their slippers in the snow to open sheds, garages and outbuildings- the community spirit kicked in and the help we received on the day restored my faith in society' however after 2 days of searches, numerous posters and leaflets - there was no news apart from sightings of look-alikes in the general area.

Then out of the blue almost 4 weeks after disappearing a lady who used to work for Cats protection saw an unfamiliar cat in her neighbourhood which happens to be the other side of the City of Hereford. The next stroke of luck in this amazing tale was that she happened to still have a scanner for microchips. Smokey's sixth sense and luck was about to hit the jackpot and he approached and meowed to this lady who happens to be on of over 30,000 residents in the city of Hereford. He is chipped and it worked!!

The outcome is obvious and now as the photo clearly shows- Smokey the bandit is no longer on the run and back home in the warm with his family. It just proves that pets can make amazing journeys and as is often the case a chance encounter and a meow to the right person paid dividends!

The Jenkins family would like to pass on their thanks to Ann the kind lady who took it upon herself to scan Smokey, the team at Animal Search UK and their vet (The Laurels Veterinary Centre in Ryelands street Hereford)who recommended they make use of the FREE website provided here.

A great team effort, by everyone. Welcome home mate :-) By the way Smokey recommends the following lottery numbers 3, 5, 14, 24, 39 and 45

20th January 2010

After 3 months and 3 days our much loved kitten/cat is home! Barri went missing on Saturday October 24th 2009, we spent Christmas and New Year without him, not a day went by without us searching for him, we had posted leaflets far and wide (over 2000 posters and leaflets distributed.

As you can imagine with the recent weather we feared the worst, how could Barri survive such harsh conditions and then one morning Barri appeared in the garden of my office (I live within 1 minutes walk from the office). Although we sometimes feared the worst at no point did we give up hope, and now he is home and settled again! We would like to firstly tell others that have missing cats to keep positive and keep searching because there is always a slight chance your cat will be come home! We would like to thank neighbours and locals for all the support helping us look for him as well as organisations such as Animal Search UK, Cat Protection and RSPCA for the advice given whilst Barri was missing!!

We now have 3 kittens ruling the house as we made the decision just before Christmas as we missed Barri so much to take on 2 kittens.

Bradley (Barri's owner)

19th January 2010

Whilst around the world many disasters are occurring with many tragedies as a result, a survival story unheard of until now, has come to light after a cat was found alive and well in a greenhouse after surviving 21 days in conditions as cold as -12 degrees.

Without food and water, the survival story has baffled experienced pet detectives from Animal Search UK where the cat was reported as missing. Media spokesperson for Animal Search UK, Emma Buckle said:

‘’In 11 years of dealing with missing pets we have never encountered a survival story as remarkable as this. To survive without food and water for 21 days would be almost impossible for any animal, but to have braved the cold conditions and fought through until, thanks to the owner checking it after Christmas, is absolutely fantastic. We wish him a speedy recovery!’’

His owner is thrilled to have him back after almost giving up hope of ever finding him alive.

15th January 2010

Teddy, a ginger a white cat from Buckhurst Hill Essex went missing from his home on 23rd November 2009. After a thorough search of the area by Animal Search UK’s search team including door to door enquiries and a poster and leaflet campaign and newspaper publicity, there was no sign or word of Teddy’s whereabouts. This was until the 7th January 2010 when Teddy’s exited owner Sarah Holland called the Animal Search UK headquarters to say that Teddy had been found further from home than the area covered by the search team, stuck up a tree!

After a dramatic rescue using a ladder, Teddy’s owner was speechless when he was returned to her alive and well, all be it underweight and slightly dehydrated, 3 weeks after he went missing. Again Emma Buckle from Animal Search UK commented –

‘Our search teams always look up as well as down, cats do have habits of climbing which often causes them to end up becoming unable to get down. On this occasion the search team had limited time to carry out their enquiries and the road where Teddy was found wasn’t part of the immediate searched area. How Teddy survived 3 weeks without food and water, without being spotted or falling down after probably becoming very disorientated will never be known. We believe that Teddy will certainly learn his lesson by not venturing any higher than he feels safe and we are all thrilled that he is back home.’

1st January 2010

So far in 2010 Animal Search UK has had 62 found pets reported to them at www.animalsearchuk.co.uk anyone who has lost a pet should take advantage of the website to search the found listings in order to establish if their pet might have been found by someone already.

18th December 2009

This you should know…………………………

It is tempting to share our food with the family pet, and most of us are guilty of slipping the odd tasty morsel. However it is strongly advised you check out this list which contains some common foods which are either poisonous or have the potential to be dangerous to your cat. This list contains common foods, but is by no means extensive. As a rule of thumb, if in doubt, don't give it to your cat. It may save him a great deal of pain & suffering & you an expensive veterinarian bill.

Alcohol:
Alcohol can cause intoxication, gastrointestinal irritation, respiratory distress, coma & death.

Apricot, cherry, peach pits, almond nuts, apple seeds:
All of the above contain cyanogenic glycosides which will result in cyanide poisoning. This interferes with the ability of the blood to release oxygen into the tissues, so the cat effectively suffocates while it's blood is full of oxygen.

Avocado:
Avocado contains a toxin known as persin. It is found in all parts of the avocado & is toxic to most domestic animals.
The symptoms include gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting, diarrhoea, respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the tissues of the heart and even death.

Citrus:
May cause vomiting in cats.

Cooked bones:
Cooked bones can splinter & cause an obstruction, therefore they should be avoided.

Chocolate, Coffee & Tea
Chocolate contains naturally occurring methylxanthines caffeine & theobromine. The concentration of theobromine is much higher than that of caffeine, but both cause toxicity in cats (and dogs). These chemicals act as a diuretic, causing the body to lose fluids, act as a cardiac stimulant, causing it to race & is also a central nervous system stimulant.
All types of chocolate should be avoided, including dark, milk, white & cocoa powders.

Grapes & raisins:
These have been known to cause kidney damage. The active ingredient hasn't been identified.

Macadamia nuts:
Macadamia nuts have been known to cause tremors & muscle weakness in dogs, therefore it's best to apply caution & avoid giving them to cats.

Milk:
While this won't kill your cat, some cats are lactose intolerant & drinking cow's milk will cause a tummy upset.
Weaned cats no longer need to drink milk, however if you do want to give your cat some milk as an occasional treat them the best solution is to buy some cat milk from your supermarket.

Mushrooms:
There are many types of mushrooms which are poisonous. While dogs are far more likely to eat mushrooms than cats, it is advised you avoid giving your cats any type of mushrooms to be on the safe side.

Fat:
While fat isn't toxic to cats, it's not healthy to routinely feed your cat a diet high in animal fats as it will lead to obesity. Large amounts of fat can also cause pancreatitis.

Liver:
Small amounts of liver are fine to eat, but if fed too often it can result in Vitamin A toxicosis.

Onion & Garlic:
Onions contain sulfoxides and disulfides which damage red blood cells & can cause haemolytic anaemia.
Be careful when feeding your cat human foods, some people will recommend baby food for a cat who's lost it's appetite. This is fine, but make sure the food doesn't contain any onion, flakes, powder etc.
Onion causes greater problems than garlic.

Potato (green parts & eyes):
These contain solanine glycosides which can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhoea, nervous system stimulation, depression, trembling, paralysis & cardiac arrest.

Salt:
Large quantities of salt can lead to an electrolyte imbalance.

Tomato:
See potatoes.

Tuna:
This is another food which is fine to feed as an occasional treat, but must not be fed regularly, as it can lead to a condition known as Steatitis or Yellow Fat Disease.

Yeast dough:
This can expand in the stomach causing bloating & discomfort.

Other foods which your cat shouldn't eat:
Soy & Rice Bran
Rhubarb
Spoiled or mouldy food. If it's gone off, don't give it to your cat.
Hops

Cats will often scavenge food so it is wise to safely dispose of medicine, chemicals & food where your cat can't get to it.
A cat doesn't have to directly eat or drink a toxin to become poisoned. For example if a cat lies in a garden that has been sprayed with insecticide or weed killer traces can get on the coat, which the cat will ingest during grooming.

Christmas is a busy time for vets as many pets become unwell after being fed too much human food by their well meaning owners.

A small treat is always welcome by any cat, just as long as it's the right kind of food, and the cat isn't fed too much.

If in doubt about food that your cat can or can't eat, check with your vet.

18th December 2009

A MACCLESFIELD moggy has turned doggy in a ‘missing’ mystery with a twist in the tail.

Bailey, an 18-month-old British shorthair cat, disappeared in August while owner Ben Carey and his family were abroad on holiday.

Three months later to the day, the furry wanderer walked back through their cat flap at 3am – much leaner and smelling of hay.

Where he was remains a mystery and Bailey has returned a markedly different pet.

"We do wonder if he has been living on a farm. He had clearly been out in the wild hunting because he had worms and ticks," said father-of-three Ben, 32, of Rotherhead Drive.

"He is more like a dog now. I can’t go to the bathroom without him coming too, and he sleeps in our bedroom on a blanket with his paws stretched out like a dog.

"He has been traumatised (by something) and rarely goes out."

The return of the prodigal cat leaves Ben and his family, wife Anne-Marie, 32, Charlotte, 13, James, ten, and William, three, facing a hectic Christmas after buying two replacement kittens and a baby reptile, to add to two other cats they already have.

"We put up 500 posters and the whole neighbourhood was fantastic," said Ben, a PR executive.

"One lady called saying she had found a cat she thought might be Bailey.

"She put the phone to the cat and asked if it sounded like Bailey!"

He believes Bailey may have panicked and run away when the family went away.

Mother-in-law Linda Cartwright said: "There were a lot of cavity wall insulation vans around and I think he got in one."

Ben added: "We were having a karaoke party with friends (when Bailey turned up) and joked that Bailey must have heard my awful singing and found his way home."

Sourced from Macclesfield Express

18th December 2009

A HUNT has been launched to find the owners of this Blackpool moggy who travelled a staggering 140-miles – under the bonnet of a holiday coach.

The two-year-old stowaway amazed coach staff when he arrived a bit singed, but otherwise safe and sound in Nottingham.

The feline wanderer – who coach staff have nicknamed Puss In Boots – is thought to have boarded the coach along with holidaymakers outside The President Hotel in North Shore.

It is believed he was probably looking for a warm place to sleep – but ended up with more than he bargained for when the coach set off on its three-hour journey on November 29.

The black and white bundle was discovered by a stunned mechanic in the coach's engine compartment 12 hours after leaving Blackpool.

Despite being badly dehydrated and having caught his leg under his collar, leaving a nasty gash, the cat was fine.

And now, after a week of RSPCA care, he is recovering well and there are hopes he can soon be reunited with his owners.

Howard Crump, manager at The President Hotel, said: "I'm absolutely amazed to hear the cat survived such a journey.

"He must have gone through quite a few of his lives I imagine.

"We don't tend to see many cats round here as it is so close to the Promenade so maybe he came from one of the flats nearby.

"It would be lovely to see him brought back to Blackpool in time for Christmas."

RSPCA inspectors from Nottingham are also keen to see the cat reunited with his family.

Chris Shaw said: "He's a friendly little cat and has obviously come from a loving home.

"He singed his eyebrows during the trip – it is obviously not the best way to travel – but he could have easily fallen out of the engine so he is lucky really.

"With Christmas around the corner, he wants to be spending it with his family and it would be nice if we could get him back home in time."

Staff from the coach company Skills Holidays in Nottingham have said they will adopt him if nobody else comes forward. He was found by mechanic Trevor Cox as he went to service the coach after it returned to the depot.

Mr Cox said: "When I found the cat it I gave it some fuss and then we called the vet out.

"We have been to see him since and he is doing very well."

Sourced from Blackpool Gazette

18th December 2009

A vet is warning that a dog owner who beat his pet so badly it could have died must be caught.
Graham Blow treated the terrier cross-breed, named Holly by her carers, at the Bridge Veterinary Surgery in Pontllanfraith, Caerphilly county.

He said the dog had some of the worst injuries he had ever seen, including a broken jaw and three broken ribs.
The attack in Cefn Fforest, Blackwood, was eventually halted by a passer-by. Police have appealed for information.
Mr Blow said: "When she came to us she had some of the worst injuries I have ever seen in a dog.
"Her lower jaw was shattered, she had three broken ribs, serious concussion, and severe swelling in the left side of her abdomen.

I have every reason to suppose that if this bloke isn't dealt with... he'll go on to harm other animals and probably people too says Graham Blow, vet.

"Dogs, even little dogs, are remarkably tough, so the ferocity which would have been needed to inflict such injuries on her is terrifying.
"Someone with that level of anger needs to be caught because the same attack on a human could easily, even probably, have killed them.
"Bones will heal in time, but with the internal injuries she'd suffered, we weren't sure if we could save her, and even if we could, whether it would have been the kindest thing to do."
But he said the swelling stabilised and she began to turn the corner, and he was now hopeful Holly would make a full recovery, "physically if not mentally".
The attack took place at about 1500 GMT on 30 November.It was witnessed by a member of the public who tried to intervene.

'Dangerous person'
He was verbally and physically threatened but thanks to his persistence, the attacker eventually threw down Holly's lead and ran off.
The witness described the attacker as about 6ft 3in (1.9m), slim to average build, in his twenties, with fair, light brown or dark blond hair. He had a local accent.
Holly was released by vets this week, and is now being cared for by a foster family found through the Caerphilly council dog warden.

Mr Blow fears they may have difficulty re-homing her. "She is extremely wary around men, and it's possible that she's suffered some brain damage, as she can be totally non-responsive for minutes or hours at a time," he said.
"There's certainly physical evidence that this wasn't the first beating which Holly had suffered, so I have every reason to suppose that if this bloke isn't dealt with, in whatever way, he'll go on to harm other animals and probably people too."

Gwent Police said they would like to speak to anyone who may be able to identify the owner.
A spokesperson said: "We understand that people may be afraid to identify this dangerous person, but they can provide us with any information they may have anonymously through the 101 non-emergency police line, or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."

Please - if anyone knows anything contact Gwent Police or Crime Stopper directly!!

13th December 2009

For the first time in recent years Animal Search UK has called upon CCTV drain survey experts to hunt for a missing cat previously mentioned on this news page; Oliver from Lincolnshire.

After visiting an animal communicator the owner feared that Oliver could be stuck in a drainage system nearby to her house. After extensive enquiries carried out by Sue Oliver’s owner she discovered that there was a man hole within half a mile of her house that had no cover – just like the communicator had suggested.

Dave the technician from AJet Drain Survey Company attended the scene within hours and carried out a thorough search of the pipe work in the potential area that Oliver could be in. Alas no sign of Oliver was found which in my mind was a relief, but a disappointment that the mystery wasn’t solved regarding his disappearance. Our thanks go to AJet for the prompt, swift and professional response and if any owners in the future decide that they would like to make use of the survey or investigation of this kind Animal Search UK would be happy to recommend this reliable local company and if necessary attend the scene of the survey at the same time.

13th December 2009

An owner from Lincolnshire has gone to extraordinary lengths to try and trace her missing cat Oliver. He went missing in late October and hasn’t been seen at his farmhouse home since then. Sue his owner has made extensive enquiries and hired out the help of the Animal Search UK search team in order that she should leave no stone unturned. Hundreds of leaflets and posters have been displayed. Tom Watkins from Animal Search UK spoke on BBC Lincolnshire’s Drivetime show in order to plead to the public in the area for some news as to where Oliver might be.

Sue can be seen here with one of the latest advertising ideas from Animal Search UK. A board we’ve designed can be placed outside your house in your garden or at a local village shop, pub garden or even be carried throughout the village, town or area by an owner or a volunteer if necessary. Sue would like to take this opportunity via our website to thank Tesco Pet Insurance personally, they have paid for the professional poster and leaflet campaign and other advertising that has been carried out. In fact Tesco’s store in Canwick kindly agree to allow Sue and Tom from Animal Search UK to hand out leaflets to shoppers that may have seen Oliver in their area.
Members of the public who area reading this article and would like to see Oliver’s profile pleas follow this link

http://www.animalsearchuk.co.uk/view_lost_pet.php?id=11111

3rd December 2009

With the festive season fast approaching many people wonder what to buy their loved ones as a Christmas gift. Many choose toys and games, others beauty products but thousands of people each Christmas decide that a pet is the best present of all, especially for their young children.
Of course the initial excitement of having a new family member is great, but the reality of daily upkeep and routine can quickly turn the excitement into boredom and sometimes neglect.
Every Christmas Rescue Centres and Shelters such as Battersea Cat’s and Dog’s Home are inundated with the Christmas cast offs; Pet’s that have been bought and are no longer wanted or owners are unable to look after them.
Animal Search UK’s goal this Christmas other than trying to reunite the pet’s that go missing over the festive period is to try and make people think twice and even three times before rushing out and buying their new cat or dog.
Below is Animal Search UK’s check list of things you should consider before buying your new pet.
Are me and my family ready for a pet?
Have you actually stopped and considered whether you and your family are ready to take on the responsibility of a pet? With the children begging constantly for that new puppy or kitten it can often be easier to give in rather than to actually sit down and weigh up the pros and cons. Your new pet may be a part of the family for 5, 10 or even 20 years to come – do you want to have that much responsibility for that long?
Are you allowed a pet where you live?
Many families who live in rented or council provided accommodation will have part of their contract written so they are now allowed to keep pet’s within their properties. Does this apply to you?
Can we accommodate a pet?
You may think that cats and dogs may not take up much space but consider the amount of space they need – somewhere to sleep, somewhere to have a run around or a play, somewhere to go to the toilet. Many dogs may require a garden area to have alterations made to it – are your fences high enough so that they can’t jump over. Are the fences sunk low enough that they can’t dig their way out?
Can you afford the daily upkeep of a pet – Food, Bedding, Accessories such as leads and collar as well and vet treatments such as basic injection. All of these need to be factored into a family’s monthly budget – The RSPCA estimates that the average dog costs its owner £5,664 over a 12-year life.

Finally if you consider all of the above points and still decide that you would like a new addition to the family then please consider the following point.
Could we adopt from a rescue centre or shelter?
Adoption saves an animal whose life literally depends on getting a new home. There are far too many animals without homes. Every year Rescue Centres are full to capacity and more with puppies’ and kitten’s, but also with older more mature dogs whose owners may have abandoned them through no fault of their own. Wouldn’t you like to be able to give a happy home to a pet that has no one else to love them or to depend on?

28th November 2009

Garfield the cartoon character certainly gets up to some mischief, as does Garfield the cat. True to form Garfield is ginger and adventurous, though not only does he go missing but he also walk miles from his owners home to a farm, which involved crossing streams, ditches and 3 miles of field and open land before he arrives at his new destination.

Garfield owners enlisted the help of Animal Search UK once they realised that Garfield was missing, and it was indeed one of the professionally printed posters that resulted in a call from a farmer to say that he had adopted Garfield and taken him under his wing when he found him in his yard looking quite sorry for himself.

After an excited call from the team to a happy and relieved owner, Garfield was reunited and taken home..... Although not for long. We received a call the day after that alas Garfield had returned the 3 miles to the farm making the same journey in absolutely terrible weather making the trip even more treacherous. After a frank and open discussion between his owners and the farmer Animal Search UK learned that his original owners had decided that Garfield should stay at his new adopted home and family because he obviously prefers the new farm to his original farm.
Whether there is a lady cat hiding around the corner we’ll never know, but we do know that again Garfield is home safe and well and in new safe hands, and won’t be straying far from his new found farm house.

We would like to wish Garfield the very best of luck in his new home.

24th November 2009

Animal Search UK are pleased to announce that in early 2010 we will be one of a few nominated suppliers of a GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) device that can be fitted to a pets collar. This will enable owners to track their pets online wherever they may be in the world. So, if you do lose your pet you can immediately locate them to within a few metres using the tracking device. The units are still in a testing period, but are getting better week on week, and will be finished and ready for use in 2010.
Watch this space for more details about the launch! But in the meantime if you are unfortunate enough to lose a pet don’t hesitate to give our head office a ring on the number at the top of the page or via this page.

23rd November 2009

Credit Crunch and the Benefits of Pet Insurance

With the credit crunch biting hard and families trying to save money whenever possible there is no better time than now to buy pet insurance. Imagine the heart ache if your pet was injured, fell ill or even worse went missing, and you couldn’t afford to either have them treated or to carry out a professional advertising campaign like Animal Search UK could provide because you were short of cash. The good news is that most insurance companies in the UK will work alongside Animal Search UK and allow us to provide you with a full and effective advertising campaign with posters and leaflets bearing our free phone number in an attempt to get some news about your missing pet. Hundreds of owners each year make use of their pet insurance this way. There is normally no excess to pay and you can get a very thorough campaign paid for in full and directly to Animal Search UK by the chosen company. The companies we regularly work for are Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, Direct Line, Churchill, Virgin, More Than, plus many more. For details on what exactly they cover you for it is best to check their websites online or call the companies and ask them specific details about advertising and reward costs and how you will be protected against should the worst happen.
When an advertising campaign is needed Animal Search UK can start working for your pet straight away and send everything out to you for the next day (for all orders received before 2pm mon-fri) This allows you to start about using our professional and very effective advertising to help find your missing pet easily and simply. Animal Search UK can then take any calls received about your pet 24 hours a day 7 days a week, this can sometimes also include hoax calls which are worrying for any owner and can be very upsetting. We also email the rescue centres or dog wardens where appropriate. We can take all calls and filter out the genuine from the hoaxes and pass on the details to you any time of the day or night so you can make further enquiries about where your pet might be.

20th November 2009

The Truth About Cats and Dogs

If books are your thing, and pets are another love you have then this book written by TV Vet Emma Milne “The Truth about Cats and Dogs” is a must read. Having received fantastic reviews by a whole range of readers, book sales are going well. Emma actually started writing the book seven years ago but had to put it on hold for several reasons, but now it is finished and was launched earlier this year. The book is for anyone who may want to become a vet, own a pet or is looking into owning a pet or indeed anyone who followed Emma on Vet’s in Practice which featured some really excellent footage of vet’s in training and newly qualified vets. The book is a very honest look at some of the health problems that can occur in pedigree dogs and cats and there certainly are some shocking facts in the book which may shock some readers.
If you would like to order a copy of the book and to find out more on how you can get your copy signed by Emma herself then follow this link

18th November 2009

When Ellie the cat who is owned by two airline workers went missing, little did they know she was trying to join them at great heights, having clambered onto the roof of a local industrial estate unit.
Several days had passed with no sightings or news of Ellie whatsoever so the owners decided to make use of their pet insurance provided by Argos and ask Animal Search UK to produce a professional advertising campaign. Thankfully the cover offered by Argos pet insurance was excellent in terms of the number of leaflets and posters we could provide. A total of 750 leaflets were printed straight away and 25 posters distributed throughout the local area.
A few days after the posters had been put up by the owners, a call was received in the early hours of one morning by a Security guard who had heard a cat meowing on the roof of his industrial unit that he looked after. A call was made immediately as per the instructions of the owner, and details were passed on straight away. With ladder in hand the owners marched down to the industrial estate ready to give Ellie a firm ticking off if she was found.
Luckily for Ellie the ladder reached the roof, and luckily for the owner it was Ellie who was stuck up there and again thanks to Animal Search UK’s call centre and widespread publicity campaign, one more pet was happily reunited with its owner. Ellie is now firmly grounded (excuse the pun) and will not be climbing up high or going near that industrial estate again. I think we can now announce that Ellie is not a member of the mile high club, but a member of the “30ft up in an industrial estate club”.
Glad to hear your home Ellie.
Once again this story just proves how important Pet insurance can be in times like this. We would like to pass on our thanks to the owners of Ellie for using our service and to Argos pet insurance who provided the facility for the advertising campaign in this case.
GOOD RESULT FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

29th October 2009

Traditionally- Animal Search UK deals with approximately 50% more missing pets over the firework season due to a large number of cats and dogs that are scared by loud bangs and subsequently run away from their home area getting lost in the process. Lots of these losses can be prevented by owners following some simple advice which is:
• Keep pets in during evenings when fireworks are more likely to be let off
• Rather than having fireworks parties of your own go to an organised display which as well as being safer they will ensure that you’re pet isn’t being disturbed with loud noises at your home address.
• Make sure you have some good photos of your pet so should the worse happen and they do disappear then you are in the position to produce posters and leaflets about them easily and quickly.
• Remember the Animal Search UK website is completely free to use and anyone that does lose a pet in the coming period are welcome to seek advice and help by visiting our website .

21st October 2009

We are delighted to announce that the well known BBC programme - "Crimewatch UK" have added a link to our site from theirs.

We are proud that they regard our site worthy of this and it is testament to all the hard work we do to assist owners of stolen pets. Thank you to all the team at the BBC. We look forward to helping in any further pieces they broadcast about stolen pets.(news story about our appearance on Crimewatch Roadshow-BBC1)

Main Crimewatch site

Crimewatch Roadshow site

14th October 2009

Animal Search UK have been approached by a new company Vet Help Direct. They offer a range of expert services to pet owners and we hope owners using our site find their help useful should the need arise.

Vet Help Direct.com is free to use and any owner worried about their pet’s condition can answer a series of step by step questions to determine whether or how soon their pet may need to see a vet.

Owners can find their nearest veterinary surgery, its opening hours and specialisations. All the content on Vet Help Direct is written by vets, details in the about us section.

12th October 2009

The hunt is on for a suspected cat napper who stole a pedigree Persian cat. Sammy went missing from his front garden in Swinton at the end of May.

Sammy’s owner Vanessa Hardman said: "It had been raining and I went out to get him inside, but he had gone. He’s not the type of cat to just run off."

Sammy’s disappearance follows several in the Lancashire and Greater Manchester areas in the last two months.

Vanessa, who lives in Bolbury Crescent, Swinton, said: "Within days of Sammy’s disappearance we were contacted by the owner of another black Persian that had disappeared in almost identical circumstances in Eccles.

"I want to get the message out that there seems to be a problem with pedigree cats disappearing in the area as I wouldn’t wish what we are going through on anybody.

Animal Search UK the UK's leading search service for missing pets said: "The news of Sammy's disappearance and similar cases is worrying - we would urge people to make use of our poster and leaflets campaigns which use a confidential free phone number. This can be particularly effective in getting news about stolen pets"

The services we offer are explained in our
useful advice videos.

22nd September 2009

Kato dissapeared from his home in Ross-on-Wye on 29th August 2009.

His owners beleived that they had done everything they could to find him, but contacted Animal Search UK on the 21st September to see if they could help.

By 2pm on the 22nd a campaign had been designed, finalised and printed, and Carol, Kato's owner came to our headquarters in Herefordshire to pick up the posters and leaflets.

Carol immediately set to work with the distribution, and on the 23rd September (almost a month since he was last seen) a sighting was received from a member of the public to say that a cat like Kato had been visiting a house a mile away from his own every day for the past week.

Details of the location were passed onto Kato's anxious owner within minutes of the call being taken, and the sighting was investigated.

A few hours later we received a call from one very relieved owner to say that the cat sighted was in fact Kato and he is now home safe and well recovering from his 25 day adventure away from home.

Welcome home Kato from all the team at Animal Search UK!

10th September 2009

Our team has quite a following from local media all over the UK. What we're most proud of is the willingness of local newspapers to follow our progress as a company.

One of the most well known weekly local newspapers in the UK is The Hereford Times. They have covered several of our searches and subsequent success stories. The are well aware that the public love reading a 'Happy story' and we are always pleased to provide them with the info. This month we are delighted to be featured in the glossy magazine produced by the Hereford Times every couple of months, it was an ideal opportunity for most of the team to ' get together' when their photographer James came to the Headquarters in Credenhill for the photoshoot.

Look out for the article and our other success stories as they occur in your weekly Hereford Times which is available from many outlets across Herefordshire every Thursday.

1st September 2009

Between the team members already part of the Animal Search UK team we have plentiful pets amongst us - cats, dogs rabbits by the dozen and now a Gecko and a snail!!

Yes Catherine Roberts has joined as a member of the search team and can proudly boast that she has the most unusual pets out of all of us.

We are pleased that she has introduced another dimension to the knowledge base held by our team members.We would like to wish her many happy years pet searching whenever she helps out. Her main career path until now has been in youth work- something she tremendously enjoys when not sleuthing on the trail of missing pets.

19th July 2009

When Cassie went missing from her home in the West Midlands on Good Friday this year her owner Margaret Callaghan was distraught and turned to Animal Search UK for help.

A widespread poster and leaflet campaign followed along with numerous phone calls to the local dog wardens and vets alike It seemed that Cassie a collie cross, had simply dissapeared from the face of the earth.

Using their experience of missing dogs and with the knowledge that they simply just do not dissapear, the advice to Margaret was to keep on advertising in a local paper using the Animal Search UK FREEPHONE telephone number in the hope that someone who had taken her in - or someone that knew where she was would see the advert and contact us.

Then on Sunday the 19th April 2009 (good job we're open seven days a week!) the phone rang and a lady explained that she thought she knew where Cassie was. It turned out that Cassie had been picked up by the lady (Sue) on the day she went missing.Thinking she was a stray Sue took Cassie to her parents house where she then lived for 100 days because they were unaware of the fact that they should have informed the dog warden about their new family member!

See a video of the moment Cassie was reunited here. Our thanks go to the BBC who kindly covered the story on BBC West Midlands (BBC WM) on Tuesday 21st July 2009.

For more details about what to do if you have found a dog- see this video.

18th July 2009

When Apollo disappeared whilst on a walk his owners feared the worse and presumed he had been stolen. They enlisted the help of Animal Search UK who carried out a poster and leaflet campaign which uses a confidential free phone number to allow people to come forward with news.

On the 14th July – 10 days after disappearing – a call was received in the headquarters to say that Apollo had been sighted, but had run off into the undergrowth.

A call was immediately made to Apollo’s owners who were able to be at the scene in 5 minutes and start an on foot search of the area.

He was found moments later terrified and hiding in a ditch, but his owners managed to coax him out with plenty of encouragement, and he was taken to the vets for treatment.

Luckily he has made a fantastic recovery from his arduous ordeal and has settled back in at home with his very grateful and relieved owners.

Karen said: “I can’t thank you all enough at Animal Search UK as I do feel it was due to your posters and your prompt service that managed to get Apollo back for me. I would also like to say to everyone who loses a pet please don't give up finding them, tell everyone in the area that your pet is lost and take advantage of a service such as Animal Search who can also offer support and lots of great advice as well as the poster and call centre service”

12th July 2009

After an agonising 3 months without their family pet a family from Scotland have been reunited with their cat Rocco following a 150-mile mystery journey to Cumbria.

Steven and Laura Buick said they had given up hope of finding Rocco after he disappeared from their Edinburgh home three weeks ago. They reported him to Animal Search UK and after following all the advice- no news was forthcoming:-(

On Saturday 18th July 2009, an amazing call was received at the Animal Search UK HQ. Rocco had been found at the Tebay service station and taken to the Animal Rescue Centre near Grayrigg.

He had no collar but was listed on the Animal Search UK website. The rescue centre had a poster about another missing pet on the wall of their centre and they immediately called us so that we could put them in touch with the owners.

It is not known how Rocco came to be so far from home, but one theory is he may have stowed away on board a lorry, and then taken up a temporary home at the Tebay service station.

Rebecca Walker, of the rescue centre, described the result as remarkable.

She said: "To have come this far is just crazy really."

Rocco was reunited with his owners on Sunday, who said they were delighted to have him back.


See the story on the BBC website here

1st July 2009

Animal Search UK have today released figures for the number of pets that we dealt with in 2008, this has increased significantly since 2007. This is mainly due to the widespread success of our poster and leaflet campaigns and the website, and the hard work and dedication of the team which means that we are able to help more people.
We have plans for more exciting developments in 2009. The team hope to again increase the number of pet owners they can help in an attempt to make Animal Search UK the most widely known organisation of its kind in the UK.

30th June 2009

We are excited to announce that we are currently working with a major TV production company to try and have a series commissioned by a UK TV Broadcast company about the work we do. Watch this space for developments.

22nd June 2009

Crimewatch

Animal Search UK have appeared on several BBC shows in the last few years. However, there is one programme that we had not managed to appear on until now. In early June we were delighted to be contacted by the Crimewatch Roadshow BBC 1 production team to ask if we would be happy to appear in part of one of their programmes addressing the problem of stolen dogs.

As usual, we were more than happy to help and on Monday 22nd June 2009 Tom Watkins, Founder and Principal Search Co-ordinator of Animal Search UK went to the darkest depths of Hampshire to be filmed, live, for the Crimewatch Roadshow programme.

The case under discussion was of two stolen dogs and their owners plight to find them. Apparently, if figures are correct, 50,000 dogs get stolen each year in the UK and with the credit crunch biting unfortunately more pets are being stolen by thieves who take the opportunity to steal them from unattended cars or outside shops, to try and make some quick cash by selling them on to people who probably know that they are not being sold a genuinely owned dog. If members of the public did not buy dogs from unreliable sources, this wouldn’t be a problem and dog theft would decline.

We recommend to any owners reading this, firstly don’t leave your dog unattended in a vehicle, even if its locked, outside a shop or in an insecure garden. Tattooing is always a reliable way of identifying your dog and preventing theft, as is the microchip. Good photos can significantly improve the chances of pet recovery in the unfortunate event of loss for whatever reason, as the Animal Search UK team can put up to 4 photos on our website and on posters and leaflets if necessary.

Remember, if you insure your pet, then most insurance companies in the UK will pay the Animal Search UK service to carry out a thorough advertising campaign on your behalf.

For more details, visit our help and advice page.

1st June 2009

Yet another first for Animal Search UK we have now finished producing our first draft missing pet advice video which is posted on You tube for the world to see . Follow the link below to watch video about what to do if you have lost a pet. Watch this space for more videos, including an explanation of our poster and leaflet service, how to prevent your pet from going missing and the Animal Search UK search team.
See our advice video here

29th May 2009

On Friday 29th May three of the Animal Search UK team travelled to Bristol, this time a search fairly close to the headquarters compared to the long distances that they had also travelled that month.

The cat that they were searching for on this occasion was called Lily and she had been missing for a week from her home where her owner Ty had tried everything he could think of and almost given up hope of ever seeing Lily again.

With an early afternoon arrival, the team set to work distributing leaflets and posters covering the whole of the area. Most importantly behind Lily’s home where gardens linked on to her back garden.

Once the area had been flooded with leaflets encouraging people to check sheds, outhouses, cellars, greenhouses and garages, door to door enquiries were started.

Unfortunately, not many people happened to be in, but those that were in were very helpful and did allow us to search sheds and outbuildings ourselves. After four hours of searching and enquiries Lily had not unfortunately been discovered - so with daylight fading the team set off back to headquarters hoping that one of the leaflets or posters would do the trick and Lily would be found soon.

They had not got halfway home when they received a phone call from an elated owner Ty , to tell us that Lily had just turned up at home out of the blue, looking very dusty and a bit thinner, but none the worse for wear. A u-turn by the team meant that they could set off back to the Lily’s home to meet her and take the photo you see here.

After a nice cup of tea, a cuddle with Lily and a stern word from Tom telling her not to do this again and cause her owner any more upset or worry, the team carried on to the base in Herefordshire with smiles on their faces. Leaving one very happy owner, and a very content cat to enjoy the weekend and many more years together.


We believe that it was as a result of one of our leaflets or posters that some one in the area checked their shed more thoroughly and Lily was released. The owners words were: “it was too much of a coincidence not to be linked to the search that Animal Search UK carried out. I am very thankful to them for everything they have done and their reassurance and support during my worrying few days without her.”

29th May 2009

Bolivar’s Story.

In late May 2009 when Bolivar’s human Mum and Dad decided they were going to have some furniture re-upholstered, they arranged for a delivery van to collect the furniture from their home.

Bolivar the family cat (and his feline wife!) had other plans and decided it would be an ideal opportunity to go on holiday from their home in Chorleywood Hertfordshire to Croydon 60 miles away. When the delivery driver found upon his arrival at his depot, that he had one little stowaway he managed to catch Bolivar’s wife and duly sent her back in a large cardboard box to the owner’s home.

Meanwhile, still hiding in the van, was Bolivar, who decided to jump out and explore the industrial estate and the local neighbourhood. The concerned owners having realised that Bolivar was likely to have jumped into the van along with his feline wife contacted the Animal Search UK search team and within days of his disappearance four members of the Animal Search UK team travelled from their headquarters in Herefordshire 150 miles to Croydon to start the search for Bolivar.

Door to door enquiries were carried out, leaflets were left and posters displayed. It wasn’t long before phone calls were received at the Animal Search UK headquarters/call centre and Bolivar the escapee was identified from his distinctive appearance and collar. Although members of the public did a tremendous job phoning us, Bolivar managed to evade capture for a few more days.

During the days that followed the initial search, a volunteer in the area, namely Michelle, offered to work with Animal Search UK and a local branch of Cats Protection and lay a cat trap in preparation for Bolivar’s next appearance in the garden in which he had been seen a few times. Only a day after the trap was set, sure enough, he fell for the bait in the form of his favourite cat food which had been left in the cat trap and was caught. The owner’s daughter who was in the area that day managed to secure him in a cat basket and took him home by taxi to rejoin his human family and feline wife, who had been missing him a great deal whilst he was exploring Croydon.

Without Michelle’s dedication and our extra posters and leaflets that she handed out in an attempt to narrow down the search area in which he might be, he may not be home today. The whole team from Animal Search UK and family who own Bolivar would like to say a huge “thank you” publicly to Michelle and she is now going to be helping with other searches in her area whenever possible.

A great team effort all round, everybody ended up happy, a nice tale of feline adventure!

20th May 2009

May was a busy time for the Animal Search UK team and we decided to recruit a new member of staff - Jaimes Wall. Jaimes’s enthusiasm and excellent customer service skills and had been noticed by Tom when Jaimes served him as a customer one day. After an interview Tom decided that Jaimes’s skills and polite manner would go down well with Animal Search UK’s customers and he joined us on his first search for a cat named Casper.

Casper had been missing for 12 days when we started our search and after travelling 160 mile to Redhill in Surrey, Tom and Jaimes started distributing leaflets and putting up posters in the neighbourhood.

It was then time to start door-to-door enquiries, at the first house that Jaimes visited he spoke to a young lady and asked her the relevant questions about Casper and whether she had seen him recently. She then mentioned that she had seen a cat on the flat roof at the rear of her house over the last week or so.

Jaimes quickly went to the back of the house where unbelievably he identified the cat straight away as Casper the missing Persian. A team effort then ensued to keep Casper in one place with food and titbits, while a cat basket was collected from the van outside in the street.

A rooftop rescue then took place with dramatic moments as Casper was carefully coaxed into the cat basket and safely locked inside.

His owners, who were working in a totally different area that day, were thrilled when they received a text message photo to confirm that Casper had been found safe, thinner, but generally quite well on the flat roof 20 or so doors away from their own home. Twelve days out in the fresh air hadn’t caused Casper any major problems and after a trip to the vet the next day he was given the all clear to continue family life. Although now grounded for some period of time he really is pleased to be back with his Mum and Dad and will not be venturing onto that flat roof again in the near future.

Having tried everything they could think of the owners in this case did the right thing by turning to Animal Search UK, as it was as a direct result of our enquiries and Jaimes’s diligence that led to the right person giving us enough information to effect re-unification of Casper with his family. Why the young lady that had seen him on the roof had not responded to one of the posters that she had seen in the street several days before, we will never know. But thanks to our hard work, determination and thoroughness in asking everyone we saw and spoke to in the area, it paid off and there was a happy ending eventually.

Here Casper can be seen in the picture, with his owner Theresa, Jaimes and Tom.

2nd May 2009

We are saddened to report that Carol Williams our newest volunteer who recently offered to help in our headquarters with poster and leaflet campaigns has died suddenly of cancer.

Carol was kind enough offer her help to the team recently and did come in to spend a few hours with the team to learn the ropes and have a chat about how she may be able to help in the future. Her sudden death was a shock to us all and we send our sincerest condolences to her family and friends.

There is some brighter news that has occurred as a result of Carol's death and that is there was a collection held at her funeral for cause that she felt strongly about. Animal Search being one of those causes. Funeral goers were kind enough to donate the sum of £151 to Animal Search UK which will now be put towards purchasing new uniforms for the volunteer Search coordinators so they can contine the work Carol wasn't able to do herself.

1st May 2009

Yet again for the fourth month in a row, April 2009 was a record month for Animal Search UK in terms of the volume of missing pets dealt with via our website and headquarters in Herefordshire. With as many as 36 owners contacting us per day we are now surging forward with the numbers of people we can offer help and assistance to with either lost or found pets. We continue to receive referrals from sites like the RSPCA, Dog's Trust, Cat's protection and many other rescue centres throughout the UK. We are very grateful to other organisations for pointing owners and finders in our direction so we can assist them with expert advice and continue to help more and more owners each month.

21st April 2009

Founder Tom Watkins spoke live on BBC Scotland on Tuesday 21st April 2009 to over 1 million listeners. Tom Watkins was invited to a BBC studio to discuss one of the largest campaign we have ever undertaken that is the search for Toots the missing cat from Edzel in Scotland that belongs to Sandi Thom the pop star. The BBC were kind enough to allow Tom to appeal to the public in the area for news and information about Toots' whereabouts and witnesses were invited to come forward too. Sadly we have had anonymous information received a week or so before the interview to suggest that Toots has been shot by a local man. Along with Tayside police, Animal Search UK hope a prosecution can take place against this individual.

16th April 2009

A grateful cat owner has been reunited with Misty her pet cat thanks to an Animal Search UK poster campaign after Misty apparently spent a month locked in a shed.

Corinne Regan, 36, of Peebles, said she would love to be able to ask two-year-old Misty how she managed to survive her time away from home.


Animal Search UK said she may have survived by licking condensation off windows.Ms Regan said she had given up hope of finding Misty.

However, the Animal Search UK call centre was phoned by a householder in a neighbouring street who had seen posters of missing Misty and spotted her in a shed.

Ms Regan said the cat did not appear to have been harmed by the incident.

She's lost more than a kilogram in weight and she's pretty skinny, she said. She's been dying for attention but we haven't let her back out just yet.

I'd love to be able to ask her how exactly she managed to survive.

Longest time

Tom said I've a lot of experience with missing cats but I've never come across a cat that has survived being locked in a shed for four weeks.

This is definitely the longest time I've ever seen a cat survive after being trapped somewhere.

She must have licked the condensation off the inside of the windows and eaten whatever mice she came across.

Ch Supt Mike Flynn of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it was not unusual for cats to get trapped in sheds or garages.

Cats are naturally inquisitive and often like to shelter in warm places, he said.

However, to survive while trapped for four weeks is extremely unusual and we are delighted to hear Misty is okay.

See the story on the BBC news website

11th April 2009

Vets in Practice Star Joe Inglis who is now the BBC one Show's resident Vet visited the Animal Search UK headquarters recently with a film crew to carry out filming of a typical missing pet search. He spent the day travelling around the area helping in a search for a missing cat called Harry who was missing from the southern side of Hereford.

Posters and leaflets were displayed, door to door enquiries were carried out and a cat trap was left in the area where Harry had last been seen. view the clip of the search

Whilst Joe Inglis was with the ASUK team we talked about his natural cat and dog foods which sound delicious!

For more information about his natural pet foods and why they can be so good for your pet please visit his excellent website

11th April 2009

Charlotte House one of the most experienced search co-ordinators from the team recently mounted a search for a cat called Missy, missing from the head quarters home town of Hereford.
After receiving the call from an anxious owner at 10am on the date of the search the team put together and printed posters and leaflets by 2pm thanks to Sainsbury's pet insurance who insure Missy for providing the service. By 3pm the posters were in circulation and leaflets were being distributed to neighbours in the area.
Less than an hour later the Animal Search UK team had a phone call in the call centre to let us know that Missy had been found in a shed after the resident had been prompted to check her garden and outbuildings after reading the leaflet.
Missy was soon back home with her very relieved owners and we think that this is now a record that we are looking forward to beating for the quickest search with a successful result in the history of Animal Search UK.

2nd April 2009

Animal Search UK has been approached by the RSPCA who are keen to improve help and assistance that is given to owners and finder of missing pets in the UK. Their suggestion is that we set up a working group with them and similar organisations to Animal Search UK. The aim being to come up with a common theme and plan of action with regard to who should be contacted, what advice should be given and how to reunite more pets with their owners. We look forward to the formation of this group if the RSPCA decide to pursue this idea and would help in anyway we can.

25th March 2009

We are delighted to inform everyone that as a result of an article placed in the Stourbridge News in the West Midlands area during March 2009, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council have teamed up with Car's Protection in the area to acquire a microchip scanner. This will mean that any pets found on the road networks that have been knocked over by cars and sadly killed will now be scanned the council to confirm whether or not they have a microchip so the owners can be contacted. This is going to be a huge to lost pet owners throughout that region who up until now have been left uninformed and their pets been taken away by the council street cleansing department without every being scanned for a chip. Can we offer our thanks to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council for their cooperation with this and we hope the scheme is a great success and will bring some comfort and closure to many owners in what must be a difficult time.

15th March 2009

A spokesman for ASUK commented publicly to the Stourbridge news about the shocking news that Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council do not routinely scan pets for microchips once they have been involved in road collisions.

The situation as it is at the moment makes a mockery of the Microchipping procedure, when most owners are under the impression that their cat's will be scanned for a chip if they have been knocked over and found by the side of the road however this is not the case. Dudley council state that they whenever possible contact owners using details from collar tags but as many pet owners know, cats in particular often do not wear collars, and this is where their scheme falls down and fails.

By publicising this situation we hope that pressure will be placed upon Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and that they will change their policy and introduce scanning of all pets that are found by the roadside after accidents.

11th February 2009

ASUK were contacted in late February by Sandi Thom the singer songwriter who is famous for the "I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair" song a few years ago.

Sandi explained that her cat Toots who had recently moved to Scotland with Sandi's mother had disappeared from the home without a trace. The team swiftly prepared a poster and leaflet campaign, prepared the search vehicle and set off on the 900 mile round trip to Scotland the next day.

After a discussion with Sandi that evening about the circumstances and looking at maps of the area it was decided that widespread publicity in the village appealing for people to come forward with news would be the key.

It was first thought that Toots the cat might have been involved in a road accident by the house, but having spoken to many local residents this possibility was soon eliminated as a cause for the disappearance. With limited news from members of the public during the weekend that the search took place, the team traveled back to the head quarters and prepared a campaign involving letters appealing to the community in more depth.

The day the letters were circulated in the area some news was received from an anonymous source within the village to suggest that Toots had sadly been shot in a revenge attack for Toots maybe disturbing some ones birds locally.

The local police were informed and they too are now carrying out enquiries into the disappearance of Toots. At the time of writing no charges have been brought although there is a suspect who the police along with Animal Search UK are focusing their attention on.

2nd February 2009

Another amazing story now. Charlie the cat found 180 miles from home. This is how the "Tail began"...

It was only whilst checking his engine that a driver noticed a cat stowed away underneath his bonnet. Thinking the cat had only just climbed in there he shooed it away and the cat ran off into some nearby woods.

Only once back home 180 miles later did the driver notice the "missing poster" matching the description of the cat that had jumped out from under his bonnet. The car owner phoned the number on the missing poster and explained that their cat Charlie could be the cat that jumped out of his car 180 miles away.

The owner who'd lost Charlie called Animal Search UK for help and to explain the driver's story.

What next?
The Animal Search UK team swiftly prepared a poster and leaflet campaign and arranged for a local primary school in the area Charlie jumped out of the car in to hand out the posters and leaflets.

Had it not been for the team's quick thinking and plan to have the posters and leaflets distributed by the school then Charlie, who was found 2 days later as a result of the posters, could have got more lost moved areas again or even come to some harm.

Owner Nikki Shepherd was delighted with the result and couldn't believe her eyes when having travelled the 180 miles herself she saw Charlie sitting there with the man who had found him. This is one of the most amazing survival stories we have come across and yet another success story for Animal Search UK.

Charlie even made the BBC TV news.........

Twice!! see here too.

6th January 2009

Cherrie Preece one of our team members not only dedicates her working life to helping people find their pets. She spends most of her spare time looking after her own animals; she has a total of 21 rabbits (with potentially 3 more litters on the way), 7 guinea pigs, 3 birds, fish, a hamster, a cat and a dog!

They come from a combination of back grounds, some have been hand reared by Cherrie with others being inherited or rescued in situations where other people have been unable to provide adequate care for them.
She is a pet lover through and through and was thrilled to find out that Animal Search UK were looking for a search co-ordinator allowing her to combine her love of animals and customer service skills gained whilst working in other occupations and put them to good use.

We look forward to working with Cherrie and can't wait for her first search success.

5th January 2009

Animal Search UK has owned high profile high visibility search vehicles for a number of years. It was only recently that we acquired the funds to purchase a new vehicle, which could be used primarily for search team purposes. It carries cat baskets, a dog cage, safe cat traps and other related search equipment to locations normally within 100 miles of our head quarters in Hereford.

The high visibility high profile vehicle has the latest satellite navigation fitted to make sure we can get to an owner’s house quickly to start searching.