Scout, a Staffordshire bull terrier found abandoned during the first COVID-19 lockdown, gained national recognition after she helped find a missing cat that had been gone for over two weeks.
Here's what to know
According to BBC News, Marilyn Gilchrist, who trains dogs to track scents, took Scout in after the dog was abandoned in Leek, Staffordshire. That training helped Scout track down Ripley.
The search began after a friend asked Gilchrist to bring Scout out, even though pet recovery is not usually the focus of her work. "It's not something that we generally do, but a friend asked if we'd take Scout out because she has an expert level in terms of looking for a scent trail," Gilchrist said.
To give Scout a scent to follow, Gilchrist had the dog smell the cat's bedding before they set out. Gilchrist said the dog took them "over a wall, through a garden, over a railway line, and over a canal," per BBC News. Scout eventually led them to an alley, and Gilchrist suggested her friend search there.
Ripley was recovered safely from that area, and Scout later received the dog medal of honor from Service Dogs UK and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals.
More background
Gilchrist said she first encountered "this tiny little dog" at the kennels. "She didn't look as young as she was, because she was so dirty and in such a [bad] condition," Gilchrist said, according to BBC News.
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At first, Gilchrist expected Scout to stay with her only as a temporary foster. That plan changed almost right away. "I took her home, and within 24 hours my husband declared that we were keeping her," she said.
After being taken in, trained, and cared for, Scout was able to help another family and got extra treats and a new toy.
Gilchrist said the connection she felt with Scout formed almost immediately. "There was just something about her that felt like she was ours and she was meant to be with us," she said, BBC News reported.
Where can I learn more?
Scout's story is one of countless pet rescue and reunion stories with happy endings.
• In England, a rescued lurcher spent 427 days waiting before finally finding a home.
• In Queens, an officer found a dog in a cardboard box and helped her recover.
• After a four-hour shave, Chewy emerged from a muddy kennel looking like another dog.
• In Michigan, a missing cat came home after a microchip led to the call.
• In Ohio, a viral post reunited a missing cat with its owner after six years.
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