A BEREFT couple are appealing for help in finding their beloved pet dog Buddy after he mysteriously disappeared.

 Buddy, a two-year-old black and white springer spaniel, was last seen asleep at his home on a farm in Collytown, near Bere Alston, and disappeared overnight on Christmas Day into Boxing Day. 

Buddy rarely left the side of Arthur Blamey who now fears he has been stolen because of his appealing appearance. 

Arthur a carpenter, said: “I’ve never known a dog like him. I’ve had many dogs before. but he’s different. It’s like my right arm has been taken away now he’s gone. I keep thinking I see him out of the corner of my eye, but he’s not there.”

The mystery has been reported to police and is in the hands of specialist missing dog group Dog Lost after friends and family scoured the nearby fields and ditches and their own outbuildings, barns stables and other rural buildings. 

The couple have even vainly taken up floors of their outbuildings and where Buddy loved to spend his time.

Arthur said: “It’s hard to put into words because he’s such an important part of our life. He rarely left my side and was always in the passnger seat of the car or next to me in the tractor. We had a routine every morning where we went out and played retrieval games before getting down to the work of the day which is feeding and cleaning out the Shetland ponies, sheep and cows. But he wasn’t outside the kitchen in the passage or in his bed in the garage – his two places where he slept. That was most unusual. It’s very upsetting to think we won’t see him again. So, we’re pleading for as many people as possible to look out for him. We so hope he’s ok, wherever he is.”

Alyson said: “We were distraught when we first missed him. He’s a striking looking dog with a very appealing face. The police and Dog Lost are very sure he’s been stolen. It is strange that our second dog was not taken or that we didn’t hear Buddy bark. If anyone has taken him it would have been dfficult because he’s a very nervous dog. He would not go near anyone he didn’t know and didn’t even respond to me –­ he was very much Arthur’s dog emotionally. He didn’t like being separated from him and was never more than three feet away from him. If he took the truck out, Buddy would lie down it its parking space until he returned.

 “Buddy would never have run away. He was so nervous that he had a runny tummy if he got upset and in that respect would not make a good pet or working dog for anyone else. He’s formed such a close bond with Arthur that my husband is the centre of his world. 

“We think Buddy chose him to bond with because he was looked after by a man when a puppy as a temporary home before Arthur had the time to fully devote to him. You couldn’t find a more devoted animal to one person. But we all miss him.” 

Buddy only ate one type of food and had an upset tummy, if fed anything else. However, he did have a love of chips with no symptoms. 

The pair go to Gunnislake for fish and chips every week and leave their pet some after he after he patiently waited for them to finish. The couple run a Shetland pony stud and take children for animal therapy sessions at the stables and Buddy was becoming part of that work. Alyson said: “We offer parents and schools sessions for children who find contact with animals helps teach them how to manage their stress. We have tortoises and calves and sheep as well. It wasn’t planned. but we give children whatever aninal contact works for them and there are two boys who would only see Buddy. 

“Although he was nervous himself, we found that if we told them to be quiet and patient and approach Buddy slowly, he would accept them. So the children and Buddy all benefited.” 

 Anyone who thinks they see Buddy is asked not to approach him but take a photo and contact them on 07818 622893 or 01822 840506.