Family offer reward after cocker spaniel Otis goes missing, believed stolen, from Hidcote near Mickleton

A FAMILY are desperate to have their missing dog back home for Christmas and are offering a reward for his safe return.

Working cocker spaniel Otis, who is white and ginger with a heart shape on his left-side and just 18 months old, disappeared on 5th November near National Trust property Hidcote, where the family have a farm.

Sadly there has been no sighting of him since.

Otis is a beloved family pet belonging to Ian Letts, who is a paramedic, and farmer John Righton.

John explained how the circumstances of Otis’ disappearance means they fear it’s likely he has been stolen.

“I wouldn’t say Otis was free range, but he would come with me on the farm and he’d have a bit of a runabout. I might be in one field and he might run about and then catch up with me.

“That morning he went off, which he always did, chasing pheasants or whatever, but he just disappeared. I called him a couple of times and then went back to the farm buildings, thinking very often he might just run back there within a few minutes. But he didn’t appear.”

With growing alarm, John went in search.

“It was a very foggy day,” recalled John.

“I went looking for him, and we’ve been looking for him ever since.”

Otis would often check in with the farm’s working sheepdogs and make his way back through Hidcote’s car park – where staff and visitors to Hidcote gardens would often make a fuss of him.

John continued: “We had an infrared drone up over the area where he went missing. We’ve scoured and scoured and tried everything we can think of. We’ve just come to the conclusion that he was picked up – probably from Hidcote car park.”

John’s grown-up social media-savvy daughters have joined in the desperate search for Otis – including setting up a Facebook page (Help find Otis!) and getting the word out. And volunteers have been going out putting up posters.

“We have been working around the clock and behind the scenes continuously to try and get him home,” added Ian.

“Since having to deal with this terrible situation we realise there are many other people in the same situation.

“You never believe it will happen to you but it’s just devastating when it does. The response and help from members of the public have been amazing and definitely restored our faith in humanity.”

Even so the emotional turmoil is a particular struggle at a time when the family should be looking forward to Christmas.

“It’s three weeks now since Otis has been gone,” John told the Herald. “We’re all a little bit down. We’re just hoping that we can get him back – it would be great to get him home for Christmas – but there’s been no positive sightings at all.”

Anyone who spots Otis can contact the family on 07974 487861 or via Facebook page ‘Help find Otis!’