Robert Sands just wants his ‘best friend’ home in time for Christmas (Credits: Robert Sands / SWNS)
The owner of a 15-year-old golden Labrador that’s deaf and blind is urgently searching for his dog in the hope he finds him before Christmas.
Robert Sands’ dog Todd disappeared from Blantyre train station in Scotland on December 7 when he was let out to go to the toilet.
He’s now been missing for 12 days but Robert still hopes to ‘bring his best friend home’ in time for Christmas.
Robert and Todd have been inseparable since Robert saw the golden Lab on a Gumtree ad nine years ago.
Todd even regularly accompanies his owner to his work as a newspaper delivery driver.
Devastated that Todd is missing, Robert issued an urgent plea for people to help him find his dog and now hundreds of people have joined the hunt for the pooch.
Todd would accompany Robert everywhere, including in his job as a newspaper delivery driver (Credits: Robert Sands / SWNS)
A Facebook page called ‘HELP US FIND TODD’ has been set up and 800 people have already joined.
Members are using the page to share tips to help find the beloved golden Lab as well as potential sightings.
But despite the huge community effort, Todd is still missing just a few days before Christmas.
Explaining what happened, Robert said: ‘When I first got him, we’d always go out in the van together, and now he comes to work with me all the time.
‘We had gone to Blantyre train station because it’s one of our regular stops on our delivery route – and this was one of the locations where I’d let Todd out to use the toilet.
Todd went missing from Blantyre trains station (Picture: Robert Sands / SWNS)
‘On that particular Thursday, I got him out, did the delivery and changed his bedding – and then I turned back around, and he wasn’t there.
‘I looked around and I couldn’t see him, and I went into a panic.
‘In my opinion, he’s got a bit of separation anxiety, which is why this is out of character for him.
‘Todd is such an old boy – he’s fifteen. He’s going blind – he has cataracts, and he’s going deaf as well.
‘He’s got mobility issues and underlying medical issues as well.’
‘He could have gotten himself lost or stuck somewhere, or somebody’s picked him up.’
Robert says he grateful for the ‘phenomenal’ support from the community (Picture: Robert Sands / SWNS)
Robert said he initially approached the police but the force said they couldn’t help with missing animals.
That was when he decided to take to Facebook to ask for help – and Robert said he is hugely grateful for the support he’s received from the local community.
He continued: ‘The outpouring from the local community has been phenomenal.
‘Lanarkshire Trap and Scan has been amazing too – they’re not just volunteers, they’re dog lovers as well.
‘If you have any information, please message the Facebook group – let me know of any sightings of dogs that look like Todd.
Robert and Todd have been inseparable since Robert got him 9 years ago (Picture: Robert Sands / SWNS)
‘Don’t approach the dog, just take a picture and send it in and we’ll have a look and see if it’s possible that it’s Todd.
‘To the people that are searching for Todd, I can’t thank them enough. I’m hoping that we get what we all want, and that’s for him to come home soon.
‘He’s loved, he’s worried about, and he’s missed. It’s like a big part of me is missing.
‘To some people, a dog is a dog – but Todd isn’t just a dog to me, he’s my best friend.
‘I didn’t rescue Todd, he rescued me – I was in a bad place, and I didn’t know what direction I was going to go with my life when I got him.
‘All I ask is that if somebody has got Todd, please get in touch so we can bring him home.
‘I just want my best friend back.’
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He just wants his ‘best friend home in time for Christmas’.
