'What goes around comes around' ???

It's been a very quiet few days, hence nothing to really report on Jacob or the whole Welwyn scenario.

I'm wondering what's doing there, but have to stay hopeful that this man will materialise with the dog we all want to see.

There are many (many) posters out there for all of the public to see, as well as we have postered the other dog walking haunts also. If he is about, he will be seen.

It feels terrible that we seem to be on a witch hunt for this fella, but really it's not like that at all. We are reasonable people and we just desperately need (for our sanity to remain intact!) to rule out that he's managed to acquire Jacob, or rule out completely that it's not him.

This waiting for him to show is absolute torture.

The sheer thought of someone else having your dog puts you to the test in itself.

Now, whilst the whole Welwyn thing is on hiatus, we'll carry on campaigning for him to be kept fresh in people's minds.

We'll try to get some more coverage in the press, although it's difficult both in the media and the tv channels as they all need an angle to promote his appeal or run his story (there are some wonderful exceptions to the rule, the dog press such as Dogs Today and Dogs Monthly for whom they can't help enough).

To the majority, unfortunately it seems he's just another lost dog statistic, not a precious member of our family we are desperate to be re-united with.

Our local news are not interested until there is something other than him being lost (doh!) and the opposite channel (BBC) were suitably revved up by a fab friend (Thanks G) but sadly they don't cross stories other channels have already covered (double doh!)

We did previously try The Paul O'Grady Show with little effect.

I think looking back, the mass of emails got too intense, and perhaps we blew it out of proportion somewhat and it had a paradoxical effect of scaring the producers from understanding what it was we were actually wanting, and that yes, we are for real.

I had a text from someone recently saying he read an email live on air recently for a lost Springer, so maybe I will email him today and ask for him to appeal for Jacob.

I'll also target a few other 'celebs' I know have a great love of animals, and who I feel might be willing to help. If anyone else has any ideas/media connections that would be great.

Some days it has to be said that we both feel at an utter loss as to know what has happened to our beautiful boy.

It's a strange feeling as you never want think the worse could have happened to him, (we're assured by farmers and farm workers, gamekeepers and other rural workers he'd have been spotted by now if he was dead locally in the fields ??) nor do you believe he could be out there in the wilds, fending for himself totally unseen. Jacob is clever, but not that clever.

Further still you would like to hope that should someone have him, or know about his whereabouts they would be forthcoming by now with information, I can't believe for a second that someone would knowingly withold information, noone is that cruel surely?

I know we haven't and couldn't reach everyone, so it's quite possible actually he's sitting on someones comfy sofa getting loved. Rather that than dead in a field, but all the same

I just wish it was our sofa that's all. We so miss our boy.

Yesterday though, a strange thing happened.

We headed out in our car along the single track lane 5 minutes from our house, and saw 2 cars driving terribly slowly in convoy, and made in the distance ahead there was a gingery coloured dog in front of them, ambling slowly, winding across the road and back into the surrounding fields.

Shamefully these 2 cars passed this dog by revving up impatiently as they passed it.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Knowing this could have been Jacob, you'd have hoped someone would have stopped, but it just confirms that "not getting involved" mindset of people these days.

It's shockingly evident it exists.

We stopped nearby where he was in the field, and noticed he seemed in pain with his back, he was exhausted, painfully skinny, and was wary initially of us going too close.

He looked to us like he was a Lurcher (turned out he is a Lurcher x Saluki)

Half an hour later we managed to bring him within 10ft of us by just sitting quietly and not looking at him directly.

Probably another 4 or 5 cars passed by our awkwardly situated car (not far you can go on a single track road, and we didn't want to risk losing the dog in sight)

Not one of those drivers came to help, or even wound down their window to ask is it our dog, or did we need any help - quite frankly it's shameful how they just passed by.

15 minutes later we had a lead on him (phew!) and were off with this lovely friendly boy to our vets to check if he was chipped.

Sadly no chip, so after a good few hours, he was passed into the safe hands of a rescue centre where he would receive medical attention and a full check up, as well as much needed meal and some love.