A dog who went missing is now back in his family's arms - after being unable to resist a sausage on the barbecue. Nico the six-year-old German shepherd took fright at other dogs in a field whilst out with his walker on Tuesday and ran off.
Owner Andy Farmer launched an appeal to find his lost pet and even slept in the field, in the hopes Nico would return. Strangers from East Kilbride rallied together and went on a mass hunt to track him down - before the pooch was finally found near his home, sniffing out the family BBQ.
Sign up to our TeamDogs newsletter for your weekly dose of dog news, pictures and stories.
The much-loved pet went missing last Tuesday morning and distraught Andy and his family feared the worst, the Daily Record reports.
Thankfully, locals from all over Lanarkshire united to help in the search and around 9:30pm on Wednesday night, Nico was found in the Calderwood area.
Andy told Lanarkshire Live: "We are all so relieved he's back with us safe and sound. My four-year-old stepson was absolutely heartbroken. He's not left Nico's side since he has come home.
"He and his five-year-old brother and my 18-year-old daughter have grown up with Nico - he is so much part of the family.
"I just couldn't get over how far our appeal reached. It was shared thousands of times by folk for a dog they didn't even know.
"And I lost count of how many people actually joined the hunt, easily 40 on the Tuesday on foot - it was incredible and I can't thank everyone enough."
Andy has had Nico since he was 12-weeks old and was prepared to do anything to get him back.
"I slept in the field in the car on the Tuesday night with his bed, blankets, toys, some of my clothes," he said.
"I had a BBQ going with food on it in the hope the scent would bring him back.
"And to my amazement people came from as far as Glasgow and Craigneuk to the field to see if they could help - I even had one person bring me a Costa coffee at five in the morning.
"Folk in Waverly and Kenilworth in Calderwood even were leaving food out for Nico as we though he was in that area."
Eventually, the scent of tasty sausages drew Nico out of hiding in a wooded area.
"We seemed to lure him out with some sausages in the end and it was the quick thinking of a local taxi driver called Alan and a few dog walkers that got him back," Andy added.
"Nico went in the direction of the C'mon Inn in Calderwood and Alan and the dog walkers blocked off either end of the road and Alan managed to get him over to the car and grab him.
"When Alan called me and said 'I've got him', I was practically in tears. They are like your babies - albeit your fur babies and the family is complete again now he's back with us."
Do you have a dog story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
