23/12/2023
‼️ Missing for over 2 months‼️
We currently have no further updates of Toby and Bruno’s whereabouts but wanted to make everyone aware of what has been done to bring them home:
From the very beginning all necessary authorities and agencies were contacted.
A Facebook group set up, posts
shared across social media platforms.
Regular updated posts and All found dogs sent were followed up and checked.
Local landowners, farmers and gamekeepers were contacted and are aware of Toby and Bruno.
We have offered a substantial reward for any information that leads us to finding Toby and Bruno, as due to the length of time they have been missing there is the possibility that they have been found and then kept, passed or sold on.
Ground searches have taken place with volunteers and areas regularly checked and scanned day and night with a long range thermal scope.
Drone to home came to help within the first 4 days of their disappearance and scanned the land surrounding mine using thermal drones.
A team of family, friends and volunteers have put up thousands of posters in the immediate area and through letter boxes. This was extended to other towns, villages and rural areas further afield.
The area was checked for cctv and ring doorbells so that footage could be checked.
We had reports in November of Toby eating roadkill in Lumley and Bruno walking up a path in Lumley thick’s. We started the search down that area but it came to nothing.
We asked Ella from lost dog tracking to come and help us and on the 7/11 she tracked both of them to Lumley where Bruno and Toby were seen within 1/2 mile of each other. We set up food traps and cameras in the area and Bruno was sighted again, but unfortunately bolted into local woodland didn’t show on any cameras.
Bruno was then seen in beamish woods on 11/11 by a dog walker. We had hoped they were making their way home but unfortunately there was a shoot that day which seemed to have pushed them out of beamish woods.
Toby was then seen in Tanfield Village on 26/11 and bolted into nearby woodland.
Ella from lost dog tracking came back up on 8/12 and we took her to Rowlands gill where someone had seen a German shepherd and doodle type dog running into nearby woodland. Two of Ella’s dogs picked the scent up in different locations in Rowlands- again we have set foot traps and cameras but nothing has been seen on camera
Just a note about the tracking dogs. Both dogs have trained at the London school of scent and Hetti has won awards for her tracking ability, and is sponsored by some high profile industry experts.
We were out with them the whole time they were tracking. I’ve observed when the dogs didn’t pick up a scent and when they did - even in areas with lots of dog walkers. Having seen this for my own eyes, I am confident that it was my dogs that were tracked. I may have thought differently if I hadn’t been out with them as I am aware some trackers don’t take owners out with them when they are working.
I have attached maps of the locations of the locations of these sightings and surrounding areas.
Can I ask that if you are out walking over the Christmas period in these areas to remain vigilant and keep a look out for my boys 💔💔 please contact me if you do see them with the time and location.
We need them home where they belong. Again, thank you all for your continued support and help to try and reunite my boys with us, we are honestly overwhelmed and can’t thank you all enough ❤️