Community effort in Daventry helps reunite lost dog with owner

A missing dog lost for five days in Daventry was found in a nearby building site after the town's community came together to join in the search.
DexterDexter
Dexter

On June 9 Dexter, a cockerpoo spaniel, ran off while on a walk with his owner’s sister Hannah Taylor-Slaymaker, who was looking after the dog while her brother Marc was away in America.

A missing notice was shared thousands of times on social media, and posters were stuck up around Daventry, as dozens of people joined the search party.

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“The whole community was out looking for him,” said Hannah, of Welton Lane.

Dexter is reunited with his owner after being foundDexter is reunited with his owner after being found
Dexter is reunited with his owner after being found

“Because I’d posted on Facebook and other places so many times, everyone knew about him and was searching for him.

“There were posters everywhere and when we eventually found him on the big search, there were about 40 people with us.

“It was a real community effort. It was amazing really, the reason he was found is because we kept on going.”

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Eventually Dexter was rescued two minutes away from where he first disappeared, on the Monksmoor estate building site, where he was found down a six foot land drain, so there was no way of him getting out on his own.

Dexter is reunited with his owner after being foundDexter is reunited with his owner after being found
Dexter is reunited with his owner after being found

When Dexter was finally reunited with Marc, who joined the search as soon as he returned to the UK things became a little emotional, and Dexter was so excited to see his owner again that he ripped his shirt.

“It was excellent, I couldn’t believe it when we found him,” said Hannah.

“My brother has two children and they were so upset and didn’t think they were going to see Dexter again.

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“It was quite overwhelming when he was found because we’d searched for so long. People were in tears, they gathered round him and it was lovely really.”

Hannah believes Dexter had become lost because he was in unfamiliar territory, having grown accustomed to his usual surroundings at Marc’s home in Duston, Northampton.

After searching all over Daventry and in nearby fields Hannah was relieved that Dexter was found, particularly as she had been looking after him on behalf of her brother.

“I felt so responsible, it was relief when we found him. We never gave up,” said Hannah.

“I don’t think the kids would have gotten over it.”

The vet found nothing wrong with Dexter after his spell of absence and he has since settled back in to his life.