The search for a guide dog that has been missing from Nairn for more than a month has been stepped up with expert dog-trackers also helping the hunt.
Fraser Stevenson’s dog Tess has been missing since she failed to come back after he had let her off the lead for a run around, near the River Nairn, on Wednesday, July 23.
Several public appeals have been made with retail company Pets at Home pledging a £1,000 donation to charity Guide Dogs for the Blind in the hope that someone will come forward with vital information.
Tess, a six-year-old, black, curly-coated cross retriever, normally returns after around 20 minutes of running around, but her owner spent three hours trying to find her near the old cemetery in Nairn.
Niall Foley, of Guide Dogs Scotland, has helped co-ordinate the search and is supporting partially sighted Mr Stevenson, while keeping him up to speed with the ongoing operation to find his canine companion.
Mr Foley said last night: “Over the weekend we have been working with specialists to try and find Tess in the areas around Forres where we have had multiple reported sightings of her.
“As we continue to work with the team this week, we would still ask that our supporters do not try and actively search for her themselves, to help us to keep the area as quiet as possible.
“We also ask that anyone who thinks they may have seen Tess does not approach the dog directly, to avoid a startle reaction.
“We are of course still extremely grateful for any updates or information that could help our team to find Tess and we encourage those with any information to call us on 0800 6888409.
“In the meantime, posters to help raise awareness of Tess’s disappearance are still downloadable from our website www.guidedogs.org.uk and we encourage members of the public to remain vigilant.
“Guide Dogs would like to thank all those who have raised awareness of Tess for their ongoing support.”
Meanwhile, two experts in dog tracking have been out in the area, with their own highly trained pets, using their superior sense of smell and items that she has come into contact with.