A Scots mum believes her dead dog was failed after it fled a caravan park before being killed on major road.
Sara Garth, 35, says she had to return home from a holiday in Ayrshire without “a member of the family,” after her one year old staffie Bella was found dead by the A77 near Maybole.
Sara from Cyldebank took kids Thomas, 13, Grant, 9, and three-year-old Murray to Craig Tara to celebrate Thomas’s birthday.
But their family getaway to the Haven park near Ayr turned into a nightmare when Bella fled the caravan and escaped the site on Saturday (May 13).
Hours later she was tragically found by paramedics around 5am on Sunday (May 14) who wrapped her up in a blanket and alerted the police.
But Sara was not told about her dog’s body being found by cops until 4pm that day – almost 12 hours since it was first reported to the force.
Sara told Ayrshire Live: “I am absolutely heartbroken.
“I went on a holiday for a break and it’s ended up a nightmare. I’ve come home without a member of the family.
“I’ve got three boys, Bella was my wee girl. The kids are totally devastated they’ve not got her anymore.
“She wasn’t even two, she had a really big personality and she was a lovely wee thing, she would come everywhere, she was just always by my side.
“I feel like there were just so many mistakes. Bella was just failed by everyone.”
Bella first escaped the caravan after a maintenance worker was called to the holiday home to deal with a gas issue.
But not knowing the dog was inside the van, the worker opened the door which allowed Bella to run out.
Security staff at the park are said to have spent hours trying to locate the dog, calm her and get her back to safety, but despite their efforts Bella escaped.
Sara is now calling for a change in policy at the Haven resort, as she believes owners should be there when a maintenance worker going into a caravan.
She added: “The maintenance man shouldn’t have opened the door without us being there.
“Bella was down as a guest and they should have taken more care with that.
“I want them to change their policy. Owner’s should be there when a maintenance visit takes place. I don’t want anyone to go through what we have.
“At the time she would have been having a nap, but she was a very alert dog. He would have seen she was there.”
It’s understood that park bosses are keen to review and learn from the tragic accident.
Sara has since received an apology from police officers who are now probing her dog's death after the driver who hit Bella failed to stop and report it.
The desperate mum spent a full day searching for Bella and even trekked to Ayr Police Station, before receiving the gutting phone call.
Sara added: “I spent all day running about an area I don’t know trying to get answers and get Bella home, not knowing that she was already dead.
“I was desperate, and was doing everything I could. I went to the police station but found out had it moved.
“I finally got a call from police around 4pm to say Bella had passed it was far too late considering she was found at 5am that morning.
“I then got a call from another officer asking for information about Bella saying she was still missing. I had to tell them she had died. It was just not handled well at all.”
A spokesperson for Haven said they were “deeply saddened” over Bella’s tragic death and that their “thoughts go out to Bella’s owners," who they say they are supporting.
A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that enquiries are ongoing.
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