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Pet welcome home

Jo Rostron
29/ 9/2006

HOLLIE the 'dognapped' pooch has been reunited with her delighted owners after an appeal in The Advertiser for her safe return.

Grandad Gerry Gavin feared he would never see Hollie again after she went missing and an anonymouse caller demanded a £40 'ransom' for her return.

This week the beloved Yorkie was back in the arms of doting Gerry after a good Samaritan responded to The Advertiser's story.

Yorkshire Terrier Hollie disappeared from Gerry's garden almost three weeks ago.

Gerry, aged 67, later received a call demanding he pay money for her return but when he threatened to report it to police, the caller hung up.

After a week without any news the family feared she was gone forever.

But the story had a happy ending this week after a woman, who was given the dog by two youths contacted the Advertiser.

The woman, who asked not to be named, came across Hollie after she stopped to pet her on Crumpsall Lane last Monday.

She said: "I used to have a dog just like her and so I stopped to look at her.

"She was shaking and didn't look in a very good way. Then they said they'd found her and I could take her.

"I wanted to make sure she went to a good home where she'd be looked after so I did. The dog was wearing a collar but no name tag."

Hollie's owners were absolutely thrilled to have her back. Gerry's wife Nancy said: "She's absolutely fantastic. They looked after her really well and she had a new lead on and everything.

"I offered the lady some money but she wouldn't take it.

"We're over the moon but if it hadn't been in the paper we'd never have got her back."