Blog: Four Days that Changed Everything: How losing Winnie led me to PetLink

When my Bearded Collie, Winnie, bolted from her dog minder on a sunny Sunday afternoon in May, spooked by a horse, I never imagined the four-day ordeal that would follow—or how profoundly it would change my life.

I was 170 miles away when I got the call from the dog minder. My sons were in London. Winnie was somewhere out there, alone, in unfamiliar territory – and too far from home to make her way back by herself.

What followed was an experience I can only describe as sheer hell: sleepless nights, false alarms (including cruel hoax calls at 2am), and the heartbreak of multiple sightings where she’d see me but run away, too spooked to recognize safety.

A community rallies

What kept me going was extraordinary. Within 24 hours, nearly everyone in our local community knew Winnie was missing. Volunteers from as far as 20 miles away joined the search. I created “Mission Find Winnie”—a coordinated effort using WhatsApp, Google Maps, social media, drones, and old-fashioned legwork. Posters went up everywhere. We set up camp in the area she went missing with BBQs, hoping the smell of sausages and bacon would lure her back.

On the fourth morning at 5am when everything was quiet, I spotted Winnie at the golf course – right where she’d first become lost. Following expert advice, I deliberately walked away from her and sat quietly nearby, cooking bacon and sausages on a portable BBQ. Within minutes, she cautiously approached. When she finally realized it was really me, she came close enough so I could get a hold of her collar – and we were reunited!

Winnie was exhausted, covered in ticks, and her paws were raw from running an estimated 100 miles across roads, fields, and woodlands. But most importantly, she was safe.

The map of Winnie sightings used by community members

Why this matters – why I’m here

This experience taught me how vulnerable our pets are when they go missing, and how crucial proper identification and community support can be. It’s one of the main reasons I joined PetLink. I often think about families going through what I went through – and I feel proud to work for a company dedicated to reuniting lost pets with their owners and helping keep them safe.

Key lessons from Winnie’s story:

• Check microchip details are up to date – If your pet is found and taken to a vet to scan their chip, you want to be sure you can be contacted immediately. Login to PetLink to check your details.
• Secure your tracking devices – Winnie’s tracker fell off from her collar the moment she became lost. Make sure they are always fully charged. See our own PetLinkGPS device to stay connected to your pet at all times.
• Sightings of your dog are critical  – this builds a picture of where they are moving. Often dogs will triangulate between points, returning to the place they were lost.
• Don’t chase after your dog – Different breeds can behave very differently when they become lost, many will run on adrenalin and may not be ready to come to you until time has passed. Know how your dog will react if they are ever lost.
• Spread the word everywhere – PetLink, Social media, vets, microchip companies, local businesses, police, lost dog portals, etc.
• Create an online community group and group chats – this is essential to keep in touch with everyone involved and coordinate the search.
• Use familiar scents – Unwashed clothing, dog bedding, their favourite food. Don’t spread the scent everywhere – concentrate around the area they were lost as they will often return to that spot.
• Lost dogs often return to where they went missing – Don’t give up on that location.
• Use a drone to search – If your dog has become lost in a rural area it could be worth hiring a drone to see if they can be spotted.
• Community is everything – The volunteers who searched for Winnie were my lifeline.

When a dog becomes lost, timing is critical. Busy roads and residential swimming pools are just two hazards that can lead to a dog being killed or injured. The sooner they can be found, the better chance you have of a safe and happy reunion.

Thankfully, Winnie and I had a happy ending to our lost dog story – but without being prepared and having the support of others, it could have been very different.

Have a lost pet reunion story made possible by PetLink? We want to hear from anyone at PetLink about your experiences. Reach out to us at petlink@petlink.net to share your story!