Tilly, a 7-year-old female Patterdale Terrier, returned to her family 3 days after she got lost. The reunion happened thanks to a 9-year-old boy.
The dog disappeared from its owners’ home in Llangollen, Wales on the weekend of 16 and 17 July. Since then, her family has been looking for her.
“We were worried that she had fallen into the wrong hands because Patterdale Terriers are in high demand with hunters,” admitted her owner, Ian Parrish. By taking her in, the latter essentially saved her from the world of the hunt.
Members of the human family weren’t the only ones worried about Tilly; their other dog was very sad to the point of losing his appetite.
A few days later, 9-year-old Ryan Coates was driving with his family when he spotted a canine figure on the side of the highway. The dog was under a tree on a steep slope. It was Tilly.
The boy’s parents, who saw the wanted ads posted by Jen Parrish, immediately contacted the latter and gave her the whereabouts. Tilly’s mistress and relatives quickly arrived at the scene.
«Our Hero and Hero Tilly»
None of them could help the dog because of the slope. Luckily, firefighters were passing by and stopped their truck when they saw a small group. Incidentally, one of these firefighters was none other than Ryan Coates’ uncle.
He and his colleagues were able to get to Tilly’s whereabouts after realizing she had her paw stuck in a mesh fence. After freeing her, they returned her to her owners.
Ian Parrish thanked the firefighters and the child. “Ryan Coates is our hero and Tilly’s hero,” she said. She also rewarded him with a £100 (€120) gift and a thank you card.
According to Terrianna, the boy’s mother, he suffers from learning disabilities and difficulty remembering information. So she’s even more «proud of Ryan and the little gentleman he’s become,» she said.
