A woman who buried her dog after being told she'd been hit by a car has been reunited with her pet after she turned up alive and well. Codie Hutton was left heartbroken after her springer spaniel, Maisie, darted off into the darkness on Bonfire Night after being spooked by a firework.
The 26-year-old spent days searching for her beloved dog and even camped out in a field where she had last been seen. But her search came to an end after she received a dreaded call saying a flattened dog had been found.
She took the dog home and buried her in the garden – but miraculously, just days later she was reunited with her pup.
It turned out Codie had unsuspectingly buried what was likely to have been a fox, and Maisie had survived the whole ordeal with no serious injuries.
She said: “We were convinced from the tail and markings on the legs that it was her.
"A microchip couldn't be found, but we accepted and made peace with her death. I told [my son] Taylen she was a star in doggy heaven now. It was devastating.”
After Maisie was rescued by locals, she was returned home and was overjoyed to be reunited with her family.
Young Taylen was quick to try and make up for lost time and immediately gave Maisie his Captain American onesie to warm her up.
"I thought she was gone. I thought I was never going to see her again. I still couldn't believe it was my Maisie," Codie added.
The dog was clearly tired and hungry but only suffered a mild eye infection during the trip, that saw her cover 17 miles throughout Melton, Bredfield, Helmingham, and Wickham Market in Suffolk.
Codie has now set up a fundraiser to help the rescuers who helped during the search buy more equipment.
Do you have a dog story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
