BREED: English Pointer
GENDER: Male
MICROCHIPPED: Yes
Rio was six years old when he was presumed stolen whilst out for a walk with his other dog pals during a holiday in Norfolk. The family regularly visit Winteron on Sea as it’s very dog friendly and there are lots of lovely walks in the area. On Sunday 25th March 2018, they all did the usual walk and when they got back to the car park all the dogs went off together for one final run over the dunes – all the dogs came back except for Rio.
In the first couple of days, it was thought that Rio had gone off in to the woods and someone been separated from the other dogs and got lost so the family followed proved and tested ways of trying to entice Rio out of hiding – cooking sausages and leaving unwashed clothes at their last spot together. Sadly, this didn’t draw Rio out and extensive foot and drone searches plus a large local poster campaign didn’t result in any positive sightings either.
Given how well trod the area is, the family is confident that Rio didn’t have an accident on that day and die of his injuries; they feel there is a much better chance that Rio was spotted and picked up either as a direct theft or that someone presumed he was a stray and kept him – theft by finding.
Rio had had an extremely horrible start to life, which makes his disappearance even more heartbreaking. Rio is a Spanish rescue dog, from a hunting background. He was discarded because he is frightened of loud noises like gunshot. There were many signs of abuse when the family took him him. Burns on his rump, perhaps cigarette burns and he ducked if a hand was lifted to stroke him.
If you raised your voice he would sink to the floor in submission but he’d made tremendous strides with his family and was becoming a happy dog. He always loved other dogs but was fearful of people, men especially but with lots of interaction with kind gentle, men he was learning to trust again.
Rio is a gentle soul and never growled and the family only heard him bark occasionally. Pointers are often referred to as “Velcro” dogs and he certainly was.
A direct appeal from his owner, Lyn says “He is my dog, but everyone loved him. It has been very hard and in the first few weeks, I hardly ate or slept. Many tears have been shed, prayers said and sometimes I feel so low I don’t know what to do with myself.
“There are moments of hope when my spirits rise, but there are great lows too. I just can’t stop thinking about him, and where he is and what he might be doing.
Heartbreaking doesn’t come near, life will never be the same again. My whole world was turned upside down and the sinking feeling that every dog owner knows, when their dog goes missing just has never gone away”
It has been one of the hardest times in my life I suppose the not knowing is the hardest thing, I can’t grieve properly because there is always that little hope he will turn up one day.
Rio is microchipped and neutered
If you have any information on Rio, please call DogLost on 0844 800 3220 quoting dog ID 127089