IF dogs could talk, six-year old Oscar would be able to tell his owners where he has been for the last three-and-a-half years.
BY JACKIE KEOGH
IF dogs could talk, six-year old Oscar would be able to tell his owners where he has been for the last three-and-a-half years.
When Siobhan McCormack and her partner Jason Cullen heard, last Thursday, that their Jack Russell had been found after so many years, they immediately got in their car and drove straight from Newbridge, Co Kildare, to West Cork – a journey of nearly 200 miles.
Oscar was overjoyed to be reunited with his owners on Thursday at the home of Liz Curry, the woman who, together with her mother Colette, had been taking care of the little dog they found wandering around Rossbrin, between Ballydehob and Schull, a few days earlier.
‘On Tuesday evening, we were driving down the road when two people who were out walking stopped us and asked if we owned the dog. They were concerned because he didn’t seem to have much road sense and was running in and out of traffic,’ Liz told The Southern Star.
‘Oscar is an incredibly trusting dog and hopped into our car without a bother. He didn’t seem to be worried about being lost. In fact, he seemed to be on an adventure.’
Liz and Colette called to a friend, Anja Millen – another animal lover, the owner of two dogs, and the recent rescuer of a kitten that had been found in a hedgerow – and she kindly gave them some dog food, a collar and a lead.
On Wednesday, Liz did a tour of the neighbourhood trying to find Oscar’s owner and with the help of yet another friend and neighbour, Brenda Morris, they decided to take him to the local vet, Tim O’Leary, to see if he had been micro-chipped.
Oscar even featured on the West Cork Animal Welfare Group’s Facebook page, as the search for his owner was on in earnest.
Liz said she didn’t hold out much hope of Oscar being chipped because he wasn’t even wearing a collar, but a quick scan produced not only his name, but the name and number of his owners. Siobhan and Jason had no idea what had happened to their beloved pet. She told Liz they were devastated when he went missing and for a year they waited for the phone to ring, but the call never came.
Liz said: ‘They thought he had been lost forever’ and she described the reunion on Thursday and how Oscar ‘started jumping around the place and yapping’ when Jason asked him if he was coming home with them. Back home in Kildare, there was a reunion of a different kind when Oscar got to meet Bruiser, the dog he had grown up with.
‘When he was found, Oscar was in good shape. Admittedly he did need a bath and to have his nails clipped. And he was a bit hungry,’ said Liz, who is wondering if there is now another family out their looking for ‘their’ missing dog.
‘No one knows how he got down here. It could be that someone took him in. If that is the case they looked after him extremely well.’
In fact, he might have even been a little bit spoilt because on the first day in Liz’s house, he ate the dried food that was offered to him, but his preferences thereafter was for ham or sausages.
‘I can’t imagine he was out there for long. He is the kind of dog that would always find someone to look after him. He’s extremely loveable. If only he could tell his own story about where he has been and what he has done for the last three-and-a-half years.’
Tory Joyce of the West Cork Animal Welfare Group, who assisted in the search for Oscar’s owners, said: ‘This is a simple story, but a good one, and it is a lesson to others to microchip your dog.’
BY JACKIE KEOGH
IF dogs could talk, six-year old Oscar would be able to tell his owners where he has been for the last three-and-a-half years.
When Siobhan McCormack and her partner Jason Cullen heard, last Thursday, that their Jack Russell had been found after so many years, they immediately got in their car and drove straight from Newbridge, Co Kildare, to West Cork – a journey of nearly 200 miles.
Oscar was overjoyed to be reunited with his owners on Thursday at the home of Liz Curry, the woman who, together with her mother Colette, had been taking care of the little dog they found wandering around Rossbrin, between Ballydehob and Schull, a few days earlier.
‘On Tuesday evening, we were driving down the road when two people who were out walking stopped us and asked if we owned the dog. They were concerned because he didn’t seem to have much road sense and was running in and out of traffic,’ Liz told The Southern Star.
‘Oscar is an incredibly trusting dog and hopped into our car without a bother. He didn’t seem to be worried about being lost. In fact, he seemed to be on an adventure.’
Liz and Colette called to a friend, Anja Millen – another animal lover, the owner of two dogs, and the recent rescuer of a kitten that had been found in a hedgerow – and she kindly gave them some dog food, a collar and a lead.
On Wednesday, Liz did a tour of the neighbourhood trying to find Oscar’s owner and with the help of yet another friend and neighbour, Brenda Morris, they decided to take him to the local vet, Tim O’Leary, to see if he had been micro-chipped.
Oscar even featured on the West Cork Animal Welfare Group’s Facebook page, as the search for his owner was on in earnest.
Liz said she didn’t hold out much hope of Oscar being chipped because he wasn’t even wearing a collar, but a quick scan produced not only his name, but the name and number of his owners. Siobhan and Jason had no idea what had happened to their beloved pet. She told Liz they were devastated when he went missing and for a year they waited for the phone to ring, but the call never came.
Liz said: ‘They thought he had been lost forever’ and she described the reunion on Thursday and how Oscar ‘started jumping around the place and yapping’ when Jason asked him if he was coming home with them. Back home in Kildare, there was a reunion of a different kind when Oscar got to meet Bruiser, the dog he had grown up with.
‘When he was found, Oscar was in good shape. Admittedly he did need a bath and to have his nails clipped. And he was a bit hungry,’ said Liz, who is wondering if there is now another family out their looking for ‘their’ missing dog.
‘No one knows how he got down here. It could be that someone took him in. If that is the case they looked after him extremely well.’
In fact, he might have even been a little bit spoilt because on the first day in Liz’s house, he ate the dried food that was offered to him, but his preferences thereafter was for ham or sausages.
‘I can’t imagine he was out there for long. He is the kind of dog that would always find someone to look after him. He’s extremely loveable. If only he could tell his own story about where he has been and what he has done for the last three-and-a-half years.’
Tory Joyce of the West Cork Animal Welfare Group, who assisted in the search for Oscar’s owners, said: ‘This is a simple story, but a good one, and it is a lesson to others to microchip your dog.’
BY JACKIE KEOGH
IF dogs could talk, six-year old Oscar would be able to tell his owners where he has been for the last three-and-a-half years.
When Siobhan McCormack and her partner Jason Cullen heard, last Thursday, that their Jack Russell had been found after so many years, they immediately got in their car and drove straight from Newbridge, Co Kildare, to West Cork – a journey of nearly 200 miles.
Oscar was overjoyed to be reunited with his owners on Thursday at the home of Liz Curry, the woman who, together with her mother Colette, had been taking care of the little dog they found wandering around Rossbrin, between Ballydehob and Schull, a few days earlier.
‘On Tuesday evening, we were driving down the road when two people who were out walking stopped us and asked if we owned the dog. They were concerned because he didn’t seem to have much road sense and was running in and out of traffic,’ Liz told The Southern Star.
‘Oscar is an incredibly trusting dog and hopped into our car without a bother. He didn’t seem to be worried about being lost. In fact, he seemed to be on an adventure.’
Liz and Colette called to a friend, Anja Millen – another animal lover, the owner of two dogs, and the recent rescuer of a kitten that had been found in a hedgerow – and she kindly gave them some dog food, a collar and a lead.
On Wednesday, Liz did a tour of the neighbourhood trying to find Oscar’s owner and with the help of yet another friend and neighbour, Brenda Morris, they decided to take him to the local vet, Tim O’Leary, to see if he had been micro-chipped.
Oscar even featured on the West Cork Animal Welfare Group’s Facebook page, as the search for his owner was on in earnest.
Liz said she didn’t hold out much hope of Oscar being chipped because he wasn’t even wearing a collar, but a quick scan produced not only his name, but the name and number of his owners. Siobhan and Jason had no idea what had happened to their beloved pet. She told Liz they were devastated when he went missing and for a year they waited for the phone to ring, but the call never came.
Liz said: ‘They thought he had been lost forever’ and she described the reunion on Thursday and how Oscar ‘started jumping around the place and yapping’ when Jason asked him if he was coming home with them. Back home in Kildare, there was a reunion of a different kind when Oscar got to meet Bruiser, the dog he had grown up with.
‘When he was found, Oscar was in good shape. Admittedly he did need a bath and to have his nails clipped. And he was a bit hungry,’ said Liz, who is wondering if there is now another family out their looking for ‘their’ missing dog.
‘No one knows how he got down here. It could be that someone took him in. If that is the case they looked after him extremely well.’
In fact, he might have even been a little bit spoilt because on the first day in Liz’s house, he ate the dried food that was offered to him, but his preferences thereafter was for ham or sausages.
‘I can’t imagine he was out there for long. He is the kind of dog that would always find someone to look after him. He’s extremely loveable. If only he could tell his own story about where he has been and what he has done for the last three-and-a-half years.’
Tory Joyce of the West Cork Animal Welfare Group, who assisted in the search for Oscar’s owners, said: ‘This is a simple story, but a good one, and it is a lesson to others to microchip your dog.’
BY JACKIE KEOGH
IF dogs could talk, six-year old Oscar would be able to tell his owners where he has been for the last three-and-a-half years.
When Siobhan McCormack and her partner Jason Cullen heard, last Thursday, that their Jack Russell had been found after so many years, they immediately got in their car and drove straight from Newbridge, Co Kildare, to West Cork – a journey of nearly 200 miles.
Oscar was overjoyed to be reunited with his owners on Thursday at the home of Liz Curry, the woman who, together with her mother Colette, had been taking care of the little dog they found wandering around Rossbrin, between Ballydehob and Schull, a few days earlier.
‘On Tuesday evening, we were driving down the road when two people who were out walking stopped us and asked if we owned the dog. They were concerned because he didn’t seem to have much road sense and was running in and out of traffic,’ Liz told The Southern Star.
‘Oscar is an incredibly trusting dog and hopped into our car without a bother. He didn’t seem to be worried about being lost. In fact, he seemed to be on an adventure.’
Liz and Colette called to a friend, Anja Millen – another animal lover, the owner of two dogs, and the recent rescuer of a kitten that had been found in a hedgerow – and she kindly gave them some dog food, a collar and a lead.
On Wednesday, Liz did a tour of the neighbourhood trying to find Oscar’s owner and with the help of yet another friend and neighbour, Brenda Morris, they decided to take him to the local vet, Tim O’Leary, to see if he had been micro-chipped.
Oscar even featured on the West Cork Animal Welfare Group’s Facebook page, as the search for his owner was on in earnest.
Liz said she didn’t hold out much hope of Oscar being chipped because he wasn’t even wearing a collar, but a quick scan produced not only his name, but the name and number of his owners. Siobhan and Jason had no idea what had happened to their beloved pet. She told Liz they were devastated when he went missing and for a year they waited for the phone to ring, but the call never came.
Liz said: ‘They thought he had been lost forever’ and she described the reunion on Thursday and how Oscar ‘started jumping around the place and yapping’ when Jason asked him if he was coming home with them. Back home in Kildare, there was a reunion of a different kind when Oscar got to meet Bruiser, the dog he had grown up with.
‘When he was found, Oscar was in good shape. Admittedly he did need a bath and to have his nails clipped. And he was a bit hungry,’ said Liz, who is wondering if there is now another family out their looking for ‘their’ missing dog.
‘No one knows how he got down here. It could be that someone took him in. If that is the case they looked after him extremely well.’
In fact, he might have even been a little bit spoilt because on the first day in Liz’s house, he ate the dried food that was offered to him, but his preferences thereafter was for ham or sausages.
‘I can’t imagine he was out there for long. He is the kind of dog that would always find someone to look after him. He’s extremely loveable. If only he could tell his own story about where he has been and what he has done for the last three-and-a-half years.’
Tory Joyce of the West Cork Animal Welfare Group, who assisted in the search for Oscar’s owners, said: ‘This is a simple story, but a good one, and it is a lesson to others to microchip your dog.’
BY JACKIE KEOGH
IF dogs could talk, six-year old Oscar would be able to tell his owners where he has been for the last three-and-a-half years.
When Siobhan McCormack and her partner Jason Cullen heard, last Thursday, that their Jack Russell had been found after so many years, they immediately got in their car and drove straight from Newbridge, Co Kildare, to West Cork – a journey of nearly 200 miles.
Oscar was overjoyed to be reunited with his owners on Thursday at the home of Liz Curry, the woman who, together with her mother Colette, had been taking care of the little dog they found wandering around Rossbrin, between Ballydehob and Schull, a few days earlier.
‘On Tuesday evening, we were driving down the road when two people who were out walking stopped us and asked if we owned the dog. They were concerned because he didn’t seem to have much road sense and was running in and out of traffic,’ Liz told The Southern Star.
‘Oscar is an incredibly trusting dog and hopped into our car without a bother. He didn’t seem to be worried about being lost. In fact, he seemed to be on an adventure.’
Liz and Colette called to a friend, Anja Millen – another animal lover, the owner of two dogs, and the recent rescuer of a kitten that had been found in a hedgerow – and she kindly gave them some dog food, a collar and a lead.
On Wednesday, Liz did a tour of the neighbourhood trying to find Oscar’s owner and with the help of yet another friend and neighbour, Brenda Morris, they decided to take him to the local vet, Tim O’Leary, to see if he had been micro-chipped.
Oscar even featured on the West Cork Animal Welfare Group’s Facebook page, as the search for his owner was on in earnest.
Liz said she didn’t hold out much hope of Oscar being chipped because he wasn’t even wearing a collar, but a quick scan produced not only his name, but the name and number of his owners. Siobhan and Jason had no idea what had happened to their beloved pet. She told Liz they were devastated when he went missing and for a year they waited for the phone to ring, but the call never came.
Liz said: ‘They thought he had been lost forever’ and she described the reunion on Thursday and how Oscar ‘started jumping around the place and yapping’ when Jason asked him if he was coming home with them. Back home in Kildare, there was a reunion of a different kind when Oscar got to meet Bruiser, the dog he had grown up with.
‘When he was found, Oscar was in good shape. Admittedly he did need a bath and to have his nails clipped. And he was a bit hungry,’ said Liz, who is wondering if there is now another family out their looking for ‘their’ missing dog.
‘No one knows how he got down here. It could be that someone took him in. If that is the case they looked after him extremely well.’
In fact, he might have even been a little bit spoilt because on the first day in Liz’s house, he ate the dried food that was offered to him, but his preferences thereafter was for ham or sausages.
‘I can’t imagine he was out there for long. He is the kind of dog that would always find someone to look after him. He’s extremely loveable. If only he could tell his own story about where he has been and what he has done for the last three-and-a-half years.’
Tory Joyce of the West Cork Animal Welfare Group, who assisted in the search for Oscar’s owners, said: ‘This is a simple story, but a good one, and it is a lesson to others to microchip your dog.’
BY JACKIE KEOGH
IF dogs could talk, six-year old Oscar would be able to tell his owners where he has been for the last three-and-a-half years.
When Siobhan McCormack and her partner Jason Cullen heard, last Thursday, that their Jack Russell had been found after so many years, they immediately got in their car and drove straight from Newbridge, Co Kildare, to West Cork – a journey of nearly 200 miles.
Oscar was overjoyed to be reunited with his owners on Thursday at the home of Liz Curry, the woman who, together with her mother Colette, had been taking care of the little dog they found wandering around Rossbrin, between Ballydehob and Schull, a few days earlier.
‘On Tuesday evening, we were driving down the road when two people who were out walking stopped us and asked if we owned the dog. They were concerned because he didn’t seem to have much road sense and was running in and out of traffic,’ Liz told The Southern Star.
‘Oscar is an incredibly trusting dog and hopped into our car without a bother. He didn’t seem to be worried about being lost. In fact, he seemed to be on an adventure.’
Liz and Colette called to a friend, Anja Millen – another animal lover, the owner of two dogs, and the recent rescuer of a kitten that had been found in a hedgerow – and she kindly gave them some dog food, a collar and a lead.
On Wednesday, Liz did a tour of the neighbourhood trying to find Oscar’s owner and with the help of yet another friend and neighbour, Brenda Morris, they decided to take him to the local vet, Tim O’Leary, to see if he had been micro-chipped.
Oscar even featured on the West Cork Animal Welfare Group’s Facebook page, as the search for his owner was on in earnest.
Liz said she didn’t hold out much hope of Oscar being chipped because he wasn’t even wearing a collar, but a quick scan produced not only his name, but the name and number of his owners. Siobhan and Jason had no idea what had happened to their beloved pet. She told Liz they were devastated when he went missing and for a year they waited for the phone to ring, but the call never came.
Liz said: ‘They thought he had been lost forever’ and she described the reunion on Thursday and how Oscar ‘started jumping around the place and yapping’ when Jason asked him if he was coming home with them. Back home in Kildare, there was a reunion of a different kind when Oscar got to meet Bruiser, the dog he had grown up with.
‘When he was found, Oscar was in good shape. Admittedly he did need a bath and to have his nails clipped. And he was a bit hungry,’ said Liz, who is wondering if there is now another family out their looking for ‘their’ missing dog.
‘No one knows how he got down here. It could be that someone took him in. If that is the case they looked after him extremely well.’
In fact, he might have even been a little bit spoilt because on the first day in Liz’s house, he ate the dried food that was offered to him, but his preferences thereafter was for ham or sausages.
‘I can’t imagine he was out there for long. He is the kind of dog that would always find someone to look after him. He’s extremely loveable. If only he could tell his own story about where he has been and what he has done for the last three-and-a-half years.’
Tory Joyce of the West Cork Animal Welfare Group, who assisted in the search for Oscar’s owners, said: ‘This is a simple story, but a good one, and it is a lesson to others to microchip your dog.’
BY JACKIE KEOGH
IF dogs could talk, six-year old Oscar would be able to tell his owners where he has been for the last three-and-a-half years.
When Siobhan McCormack and her partner Jason Cullen heard, last Thursday, that their Jack Russell had been found after so many years, they immediately got in their car and drove straight from Newbridge, Co Kildare, to West Cork – a journey of nearly 200 miles.
Oscar was overjoyed to be reunited with his owners on Thursday at the home of Liz Curry, the woman who, together with her mother Colette, had been taking care of the little dog they found wandering around Rossbrin, between Ballydehob and Schull, a few days earlier.
‘On Tuesday evening, we were driving down the road when two people who were out walking stopped us and asked if we owned the dog. They were concerned because he didn’t seem to have much road sense and was running in and out of traffic,’ Liz told The Southern Star.
‘Oscar is an incredibly trusting dog and hopped into our car without a bother. He didn’t seem to be worried about being lost. In fact, he seemed to be on an adventure.’
Liz and Colette called to a friend, Anja Millen – another animal lover, the owner of two dogs, and the recent rescuer of a kitten that had been found in a hedgerow – and she kindly gave them some dog food, a collar and a lead.
On Wednesday, Liz did a tour of the neighbourhood trying to find Oscar’s owner and with the help of yet another friend and neighbour, Brenda Morris, they decided to take him to the local vet, Tim O’Leary, to see if he had been micro-chipped.
Oscar even featured on the West Cork Animal Welfare Group’s Facebook page, as the search for his owner was on in earnest.
Liz said she didn’t hold out much hope of Oscar being chipped because he wasn’t even wearing a collar, but a quick scan produced not only his name, but the name and number of his owners. Siobhan and Jason had no idea what had happened to their beloved pet. She told Liz they were devastated when he went missing and for a year they waited for the phone to ring, but the call never came.
Liz said: ‘They thought he had been lost forever’ and she described the reunion on Thursday and how Oscar ‘started jumping around the place and yapping’ when Jason asked him if he was coming home with them. Back home in Kildare, there was a reunion of a different kind when Oscar got to meet Bruiser, the dog he had grown up with.
‘When he was found, Oscar was in good shape. Admittedly he did need a bath and to have his nails clipped. And he was a bit hungry,’ said Liz, who is wondering if there is now another family out their looking for ‘their’ missing dog.
‘No one knows how he got down here. It could be that someone took him in. If that is the case they looked after him extremely well.’
In fact, he might have even been a little bit spoilt because on the first day in Liz’s house, he ate the dried food that was offered to him, but his preferences thereafter was for ham or sausages.
‘I can’t imagine he was out there for long. He is the kind of dog that would always find someone to look after him. He’s extremely loveable. If only he could tell his own story about where he has been and what he has done for the last three-and-a-half years.’
Tory Joyce of the West Cork Animal Welfare Group, who assisted in the search for Oscar’s owners, said: ‘This is a simple story, but a good one, and it is a lesson to others to microchip your dog.’
*****
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