Dog returns six years after he vanished

A family have been reunited with their pet dog - more than six years after he went missing.

Colin Smith, and his wife, Audrey, had given up hope of ever seeing Quincy again after he ran off from the family home in April 2001.

He was taken to an animal welfare shelter and staff traced his original owners' address after scanning his microchip.



Two inspectors from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals went to the Smiths' home to question the family about the dog, and they have now been reunited.

The Smiths bought the dog as a pet for their son, Lewis, when he was diagnosed with autism, and the pair had formed a remarkable bond before the collie cross disappeared.

When the SSPCA inspectors arrived at their home in Motherwell, Lewis, now 11, recognised the dog in the photo they had brought with them and started shouting "That's Quincy. That's Quincy". Mrs Smith, 41, said: "He was ecstatic."

The SSPCA believes Quincy was taken in by another family during his long absence but had been ill-treated before being dumped on the street.