Worksop family ‘ecstatic’ after being reunited with lost dog Bella after six days on the run

Donna and Steve Chapman, of Shepherds Avenue, have thanked the community for their extraordinary efforts in relocating the young lost dog after they were reunited with her at the early hours of this morning.

Bella, an 18-month-old rescue, went missing on the morning of Friday January 13 while the owners’ daughter Danielle took her for a walk on Bassetlaw Showground.

Suddenly spooked, Bella bolted onto Thievesdale Lane where she was clipped by a car. The scared dog then vanished from sight.

However, after almost a full six days, and the entire community searching the streets for a sighting of her, clever Bella found her own way home this morning.

Danielle, aged 33, was sleeping in the living room to let Donna and Steve get some rest when the sound of Bella’s sweet bark woke her up at 4.40am. Quickly wrapping her up in a dressing gown, Danielle took the young dog upstairs to her loving owners where she soon snuggled into the bed.

Bella will be visiting the vets later on this morning for a check-up, but 56-year-old dental nurse Donna says she seems well, besides being “hungry and tired” from her adventure.

Donna said there are "no words” to describe how the whole family is feeling besides “ecstatic”.

The beloved pet joined the family in September of 2021 after she was adopted from Babworth Animal Rescue Kennels. Bella’s early life as a street-wise stay in Romania is thought to have helped her find her way back home.

Donna said her messages this morning have been inundated with people congratulating the reunion of the missing dog. “We’d like to thank everybody from the bottom of our heart, I can't even put into words how we're feeling,” she said. “What everybody has done for us, it really is amazing. We don’t know how we can thank people enough.

“You just don't realise the goodness of people until something really happens. Everybody for me has been amazing.”

The Drone to Home charity were also involved in the search for Bella.

A Drone to Home spokesperson said: "After nearly 6 days on the run. This little one is now home.

"Just want to say a huge thank you to the Worksop community who helped every day in the search. The family’s utter dedication knocking on doors, delivering leaflets and searching for hours and hours with no sleep.

“You have all been an inspiration and shows how honest and nice humans can be.”