Dog walked for more than 40 miles to old home after running from new owner

A rescue dog walked for more than 40 miles to return back to its old home after it was forced to leave, an animal charity has said.

The team at Lost Paws in Northern Ireland said that the golden retriever, Cooper, had just been housed with a new owner when he ran away.

He travelled from the town centre of Dungannon to Cookstown to Magherafelt until he reached Tobermore, where he had been a puppy.

He had been on the road alone for 27 days after he bolted out of his owner Nigel’s open car door after being brought home from the dog pound.

Nigel, also the owner of golden retriever Molly, thought Cooper would be a good addition to his dog family.

The two dogs were about to go on their first walk together when Cooper made a run for it.

The team at Lost Paws wrote on Facebook: “Against ALL the odds Cooper didn’t stop battling and travelled a long distance through an area he had never been and had no way of knowing how to get back home, but he figured it out and arrived back at his previous address.”

Speaking to Belfast Live, they said that Cooper had crossed “main ‘A’ roads, forests, fields, country roads all over 27 days” as instinct led him home.

Cooper was found when a member of public spotted him in the Tobermore area.

Cooper is now settling into his new home with Nigel and his sister dog, Molly.

The charity said: “We visited him several days ago when he was caught and he was cuddled up by the fire comfortable and loved.”

They added that Cooper’s new owner is “one of the most dedicated owners” they know.

They said: “Nigel never stopped fighting, never stopped asking for advice, never stopped filling the food bowls every-time we were on the move.”