Dog lost in the freezing cold for almost a week finally reunites with family

Last week, the Clapclotts lost their cockapoo called Rhubarb while they were visiting Macclesfield. On Wednesday, the dog was separated from her family during a walk and ended up roaming around the area all alone for almost an entire week. The day after Rhubarb went missing, the family got in touch with the Lost Dog Trapping Team, who then started tracking Rhubarb down.

Rhubarb the runner

Nick Smith, who helped and followed the dog very closely, posted the whole story on Facebook. He said that the search wasn’t all that easy because they were dealing with an increasing number of missing dog cases. Rhubarb’s instinct to run away from other people didn’t help either. Smith said:

Sightings were coming in from several locations around Macc, then Bollington, back to Macc and each time she was seen, well-meaning people tried to approach her and she ran again.

The night before, Rhubarb had managed to get into someone's garden and sleep on their outdoor furniture under a gazebo. Sadly she ran when the house owners saw her but a camera was set up there in case she returned.

Finding Rhubarb

Smith put up cameras and traps in a number of sites but to no avail. The family was also actively helping him with the set-up, and searching for Rhubarb on their own, but as the days went by their hope started to falter. Just as they were beginning to accept the possibility that they wouldn’t see Rhubarb again, something unexpected happened. Smith wrote:

Tim [Clapcott] went into the woods, sat down and waited. Nothing happened, no sign of her.

Then he rang his daughter with an update, almost saying that Rhubarb was nowhere to be seen. It was wet, freezing cold and he was about to give up when Rhubarb appeared, picked up her dad's scent, heard his voice and ran straight to him for a huge warm cuddle, safe at last.

Smith believes that Rhubarb had travelled an incredible 50 miles when she was lost.