Bourne puppy gently rescues kitten found in a dyke after escaping from its home in Stainfield
An adventurous kitten nearly lost all of his nine lives but was saved thanks to the picking-up skills of a puppy.
Five-month-old George was found limp in a dyke about a mile away from his home thanks to the keen nose of Victoria, a six-month-old golden retriever.
Luckily Victoria, who is at an early stage of her gun dog training, gently picked him up and returned to her owner Jenni Collins, who was able to revive George overnight.
Normally, Jenni would not have stopped in Hanthorpe to walk Victoria and her other puppy Charles but fate had intervened on Tuesday.
George had spent one of the coldest nights of the year outside after escaping from his home in Stainfield last Monday morning, leaving owner Bryony Walton and her family worried sick.
Thankfully, George was reunited with his family on Wednesday after a friend of Jenni's had spotted the missing posters in Morton Co-op.
Jenni, who lives in Bourne, said: "I am very proud of Victoria and her training is working. She is a star in the making.
"I saw Victoria coming out of the ditch with something furry in her mouth and brought it back to me really nicely. I thought it might be a rabbit but was surprised to see a kitten.
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"I rushed him back to the car and wrapped him up in a towel and we went straight home."
Jenni then warmed up George along with giving him some food and kitten milk before leaving him wrapped up overnight.
The next morning, Jenni found a much happier kitten and was about to take him to a vet to see if he was microchipped when a friend alterted her to the poster and contacted a very relieved Bryony and her family.
After discovering George was missing, the family had searched the area and had also put up missing posters.
She said: "I was quite in despair so being reunited with him was amazing. It was beyond belief that we would get him back.
"I can't help think that if it had been a different type of a dog that he wouldn't have survived as he would not have been found.
"It was a really special set of circumstances that ensured George was found.
"The family feels complete now. We are grateful and very relieved."
Jenni, who completes in competitions with her dogs, added: "Victoria is a very intelligent dog and we have only just started her training with tennis balls so she is doing really well."
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