A dog feared dead after spending five days missing on a Scottish mountain has been reunited with her delighted owners.
Mia the Patterdale Terrier vanished on Ben Venue during a special walking trip to in the Trossachs to celebrate her seventh birthday last week with owners Becky Romans and Jason Grozier, from Leeds.
A major search was launched involving drones, dogs and teams from Lomond Mountain Rescue Team, but no trace of her was found and the devastated couple had to return 250 miles home fearing the worst for their beloved pet.
But the exhausted pooch was spotted trying to scavenge food from walkers and was finally reunited with Jason, 35, yesterday.
Becky said: “After losing her on Thursday we went back up the mountain on Friday and checked up the steep side where there is very little footfall but couldn’t find her.
“We were supposed to return home on Saturday but stayed longer in the hope she would turn up, but there was still nothing.
“I had to go back to work and it was heart breaking returning home without her, not knowing if she was dead or alive.
“There had been hundreds of walkers out over the holiday weekend and a lot of footfall up there.
“Ten team members from the rescue team went out with search dogs and drones and there was still no sign.
“Finally, she must have gotten so hungry she decided it was time to come home.”
Mia approached a couple on the mountain in a bid to share their lunch on Tuesday and was put on a lead by another walker, who led her off the mountain and contacted the rescue team - who had been appealing for help finding her.
The hungry pooch was looked after by a member of the team until she could be collected.
Becky said: “We had been grieving for a dog we thought was dead.
“As soon as we got the call to say she had been found my partner went up to get her.
“We can’t thank the rescue team and the people who found her enough. We will definitely be making a donation and I would encourage others to please do the same.
“It’s all volunteer work and what they do is amazing. People will say ‘it’s just a dog’ but it means so much to us to have her back.”
Mia was on her way back home to Leeds today and recovering well after her five day adventure in the Scottish hills.
Becky said: “She looks like she has lost weight and she has got a graze on her chin and legs, possibly from a fall. She’s knackered but she’ll be fine. I can’t wait to have her back.”
