A sorry sight.

This morning we had a gentleman show up at our gates to report a big brown dog roaming around the neighbouring village. We took a few details incase someone rang and said we'd keep an eye out.

About half an hour later I looked out of the office window just in time to see the dog walking up the main road right outside the farm! The radio erupted with a staff member pointing it out to me.

Anyway three of us grabbed leads and treats. We waded the river that's currently running through site and hopped the fence to try to catch up to the dog.

Up ahead we saw a group of people who told us the dog had gone in to the nearby sawmill. We followed it in but it had already moved on. At this point a passing driver stopped and said it was further up the road. One of the group of people offered to give us a lift and we set off to see if we could catch it up.

We found it further up the road with a cue of traffic having stopped so as not to hit it (the road is a 50mph limit). Out we jumped and for the first time we saw it up close.

She was clearly a lurcher bitch who had recently had puppies, the skin around her eyes was sore, she was thin as a rake and utterly exhausted. She was also terrified

We crouched and called and coaxed but we were not her people and she ran. Again we piled in to the car and the kind lady helped us follow her up a farm track, at least she was off the road.

She was walking slowly but whenever we got close she found energy from somewhere to run. Eventually she hit the trees and we lost her.

I contacted a friend who works for the farm who's land she was heading towards and who also owns a small flock of lambing ewes in that direction and warned her. She has kindly alerted the shepherds and asked that every effort be made to catch her.

I do not think in the exhausted state she was in she could have made it much further. I suspect she is curled up asleep with exhaustion somewhere.

A phone call later in the day alerted us to some hare coursing which had taken place on the neighbouring farm to us last night so it's a fair assumption she belongs to them.

That's 2 strays recently we've not been able to help.

She looked so scared and tired. I just wish she could have trusted us, just for a minute, just long enough to get a lead on her. We'd have seen her right and found her a new home. Now she runs the risk of farmers guns, more roads or starvation

I will put some food out tonight incase she passes through and tomorrow we will all be on alert. Who know's maybe she will return, sadly some part of me doubts it.

I hope she soon comes back and finds the food you put out.
I wonder where the pups are

So sad I hope she takes the food and someone manages to catch her before she comes to harm ...

That's heartbreaking - I really hope that someone can catch her before much longer.

It does rather sound like a dumping doesn't it.

I've checked the fields again and I'm just about to go check the work animals so will keep my eyes peeled for her.

I too wonder where the pups are I hate feeling so helpless.

I really hope you find her as I was recently in a similar situation.

Owners had just 'rescued' the dog and she had apparently tried to bite so they just let her out to fend for herself.

Last time I saw her she was limping and so scared but when approached she found the energy to trot away.

Every thing crossed for a happy ending

Ditto. And although this is very sad it is also so heartwarming to hear about SO MANY people who all rallied to try to help this poor dog.

Bless you.

This was the thing, every time we got close she just somehow got going again

I was very touched by the sheer number of cars and passers by who helped. We had a woman give us treats, a man stop cars, there were two cars who pulled over in the first lay by and 2 cars who stopped further up to offer assistance. Most were happy to leave her to us as they felt we knew what we were doing. Well over a dozen people helped us today and I've no doubt if she reappears just as many will come to our aid.

The lady who gave us a lift was a star. She even dropped us all back at work afterwards even though we were wet, muddy and generally rough around the edges; we were about 20 minutes walk away by this point.

The only thing is I did really want to point out to people that she wasn't one of ours that had escaped!

Oh that is so sad. I hope she will be caught soon by someone who will find her a good home.

Thats a cloud story I think........a dark outside but a silver linning inside as many people are nicer than not.