Stacey Donaldson/Facebook/Manchester Evening NewsA seven-year-old boy who created hand-drawn ‘wanted’ posters after his dog was stolen has been reunited with his beloved pet.
Camron Andrews’ four-year-old Boston terrier, Ralph, was snatched from his dad’s work van by thieves from outside a house in Bredbury, Stockport, on October 9.
The young boy was left heartbroken and he struggled to sleep in the days following the cruel theft.
Everyone please help Ralph has been taken out of Craig’s van in Bredbury please share and help me get him back
Posted by Stacey Donaldson on Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Camron’s parents, Stacey Donaldson and Craig Andrews, informed the police and offered a £1,000 reward for information which lead to Ralph’s safe return, however Camron wanted to do his own bit to help so he lay for hours on his bedroom floor drawing pictures of Ralph for his ‘wanted’ posters.
Check out one of his creations here:
Volunteers helped look for Ralph and over the weekend supportive Twitter users began sharing their own hand-drawn posters along with the hashtag ‘BringRalphHome’.
After days searching the streets, handing out flyers and checking any nearby CCTV in an attempt to find Ralph, the family finally received the call they’d been waiting for.
On Monday (October 14), Stacey learned Ralph had been found in Salford.
Manchester Evening NewsSpeaking to the Manchester Evening News, the mother described how her son ‘nearly climbed out [of] the window’ to get to Ralph when they saw the pup being brought to them.
The Boston terrier is said to have looked as though he hadn’t been fed during his time away from the family, and Stacy said his paws were ‘a mess from where he’s clawed at something trying to get out’.
Ralph was nervous and shaky when Camron and his parents went to collect him but as soon as they started calling his name he started to ‘jump up and get excited.’
Manchester Evening NewsStacey spoke of her relief at Ralph’s safe return, saying:
We just can’t believe it. At one point we started to lose hope, we didn’t think we’d get him back.
Even last night, it still hadn’t sunk in.
I woke up in the night thinking I need to share the missing poster again, then I realised we had him.
Ralph is still a bit jumpy now he’s back home but he’s working on settling back in, as Stacey explained ‘he’s on the sofa… patting down the cushions so he can get comfy’.
The family has said they are overwhelmed by the amount of support they received during their search for Ralph.
#bringralphhome Stolen black and white Boston terrier called Ralph he is 4 years old neutered and microchipped. Please follow our group RALPH STOLEN BOSTON TERRIER SK6 Contact 07984141871 xxx
Posted by Stacey Donaldson on Friday, October 11, 2019
Stacey added:
We are just so grateful to everyone. Without people sharing posts and supporting us, we probably wouldn’t have got Ralph back. Thank you so much.
Camron’s hard work certainly played a big part in Ralph’s return and I’m sure he’s over the moon to be back with his loving owners.
Amazing!
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to [email protected]
Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.