Lancashire man puts up £8,000 reward for lost dog

A heartbroken Lancashire man has offered a massive £8,000 reward for the return of his missing dog.
Mudd the four-year-old cocker spanielMudd the four-year-old cocker spaniel
Mudd the four-year-old cocker spaniel

Phil Gunning, 71, has not seen his cocker spaniel Mudd for two months.

His beloved pet disappeared after going to retrieve a bird during a shoot at Slaidburn, near Clitheroe.

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Mr Gunning, of Heskin, near Chorley, has used drones, thermal imaging and teams of volunteers to search for Mudd, who is male, black, with a white blaze on the front of his chest.

Phil GunningPhil Gunning
Phil Gunning

Starting off offering a reward of £1,000, he has now increased it to £8,000 on the website DogLost in desperation.

Mudd went missing at Stocks Reservoir, Slaidburn, on November 9.

Mr Gunning, a retired police inspector, has thanked everyone who helped so far in spreading the word.

He said: “It has, to be honest, been heartbreaking.

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“What can best be described as a fingertip search of the area, aided by thermal imagery, man, dogs and drones has revealed nothing.

“The little man is out there somewhere, possibly with someone who has either found him, or purchased him in good faith.

“In a last desperate attempt to have him safely returned, I am increasing the reward to £8,000 until the end of February.

“We cannot thank you enough for the help so far and I would ask you to once again share as best you can.”

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Mr Gunning, a retired chief inspector, has also put up posters all around the area in the hope that Mudd has been sighted on the moorland.

He said “There have been 26,000 shares on Facebook and there have been people sending photographs of dogs in that have been found, but still no luck.”

Mr Gunning is hopeful that the extra money will persuade someone to come forward.

Anyone with any information should contact Mr Gunning through the DogLost website.