An East Lothian woman is desperate for her dog to come home for Christmas after he went missing earlier this year.
Back in June, Amy Hamilton, 28, told Edinburgh Live that she received the heartbreaking call from her mum telling her that Benji, a jack russell terrier cross, went missing during a walk. Her and her family tried everything to find him - from using drones, to scent dogs and cameras in the area. But sadly they were met with a dead end.
Now six months later, Amy admits it hasn't got any easier. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, she believes that someone has taken Benji and explained how he's so small, it would be easy for someone to pick him up. She first thought he might have gone down a rabbit hole, but after monitoring John Muir Park in Dunbar daily for weeks, with no sighting, Amy can only think that someone else has got him.
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She has put out a new appeal on social media as it's coming up to Christmas and she's desperate to enjoy Christmas in her first home with Benji. Along with photos of the dog, Amy wrote, "Someone must know something", as she is pleading with the public to keep an eye out for him.
Amy said: "I think Benji's been picked up and taken. If I had found a body in the water or if I had found him stuck down the hole and he had passed away, at least I could grieve and move on.
"I think the past six months have just got harder. I thought maybe they would get easier, but they've actually gotten harder because I've not had any closure, I've not been able to accept what's happened, or grieve, or understand why or how someone could have taken him and how he is."
The dog walker added: "I've been self employed now for eight years. I have this huge responsibility to look after these people's animals. I'm not glad it was my dog, but at the same time I am because this feeling I've had for these six months... I wouldn't wish that on a client, I wouldn't wish it on my enemies, to be honest.
"It's been an extremely hard time. And when people ask me how I am, I go, 'Yeah, I'm fine.' And then I think, no, I'm not, you know, I'm really struggling. I don't know how to answer somebody when they ask if I'm okay, because I'm not okay. But I don't want to ruin their day by getting upset in front of them and be a burden and it's tough. But you just get on with it."
Amy went on: "It's been the longest worst six months of my life without Benji, but whoever has him, they are just at the start of it. They could be thinking, 'oh we've only had him six months, lets see how he is in another six', and I already knew what he was like. I gave him the best life!"
Amy had been looking after Benji for the last three and a half years, Amy shared that he had gone through a rough experience after his previous owner took him into be neutered.
Being his dog walker at the time, the 28-year-old had saved Benji from being put down, with the pair being inseparable ever since.
She continues to ask the public for help and has been in touch with people with Ring doorbells in the area. But for peace of mind, Amy admits she also speaks to an animal psychic.
"That's my form of counselling with the whole thing. And some people believe it, some people don't. But for me, it's a coping mechanism. It's my way of communicating with Benji, and Benji can communicate with me and it helps, it really does."
Amy explained: "He lets me know he's okay, that he's sitting with his feet on the ground, which is obviously a positive thing. I've never really believed in all that sort of stuff...but you will do anything you possibly can when you're in need. And that's how I feel right now.
"I would do anything I possibly can to get this dog back and any little signs and little bits of information gives me hope."
Amy moved into her first own home this year and while it's a milestone for the 28-year-old, it's also a bittersweet moment. She wanted Benji with her.
"Christmas is a huge deal to me. I think being in my new house and putting the Christmas tree up, I have personalised baubles and things and Benji's on a lot of them.
"I was looking at a fairly recent photos today on Instagram and Facebook of Benji last Christmas. And it's just really, really sad to feel like I'm going to be doing Christmas without him this year. I still have Christmas presents for him. I'm still being hopeful that he will come home."
If you have seen Benji or have any information, you can get in touch with Amy at on Facebook.
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