A gutted family who live on the site of a renowned West Lothian art gallery have issued an emotional plea for the safe return of missing fox terrier Bunty after the dog vanished from the grounds of the A-listed home.
Nicky Wilson, director of the Jupiter Artland facility, said she was “devastated” following the six-year-old’s disappearance earlier this week amid fears she may have been “napped”.
The wire haired pooch, who has a distinctive black spot on her back and rigid, springy ears, has a reputation as an “escape artist” at Bonnington House and has frequently climbed into the back of delivery vans in the past.
However, the family - who live full time on the site of the gallery and sculpture garden - say they are concerned over her welfare after an alleged sighting of the animal being ‘bundled’ into the back of a car.
“Anyone who has been here knows the dogs are an integral part of Jupiter,” said Eleanor Edmondson, head of digital arts and marketing at the gallery.
“The family did the search around the grounds and in the local area because she’s done this before, she is quite a little escape artist.
“They are used to going to pick her up from the dog pound, but it has been unusually long this time.”
Eleanor added: “All of the other dogs are really knocked by it as well.
“Nicky has said how devastated she is and how concerned she was Bunty had been accidentally or deliberately napped.”
Bunty, who is microchipped, is one of five dogs living on the site of the 19th-century property near Wilkieston on the outskirts of the Capital.
The pooches are free to roam the grounds during the day before returning indoors during the cold winter evenings.
The family were left distraught when she failed to return with the others this week. and their worries were exacerbated further by reports of a similar-looking fox terrier being handled by two men in a red Ford Fiesta near the New Town.
Eleanor said: “We don’t want to make assumptions based on one sighting, but we have made the police aware.
“There was intel from a couple of girls who saw three dogs being quite shadily stuffed into an old, red Ford Fiesta in the New Town, but that’s the only lead we’ve had so far.”
She added: “Bunty is around six years old, she is really part of the family.
“We’re just asking everyone to stay really vigilant and contact us if you spot her.”
