A rescue dog which sparked a major rescue mission across Aberdeen has been found dead.
Bess, a black and white collie, was adopted by Hazlehead grandmother Amy Downs earlier this year, who found her at the SSPCA’s rescue centre in Drumoak.
Before she came into the care of the animal welfare charity, the beloved pet had been abused and neglected on a farm, and, consequently, remained extremely fearful of human interaction, and always had her tail tucked between her hind legs.
And though her new owner had worked hard to raise her confidence, the panicky pet ran away while on a walk in Hazlehead on August 22.
Since then, the dog had been spotted all across Aberdeen and parts of Aberdeenshire, with confirmed sightings in Kingswells, Bucksburn, South Deeside and even Portlethen by a growing online group determined to reunite Bess with her new owner.
Almost 400 north-east residents joined the hunt and used aerial drones, remote cameras and mass searches on foot and by car to find her.
Mrs Downs son, Andy, wrote on the search party’s social media page this morning saying that he had received a call that a dog had been fatally hit by a car on the A90 near Portlethen.
He added: “Bess is now at home with Mum. Please afford her the peace she needs right now.
“Thank you to each and every one of you for your kind sport over these past few weeks.”