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A terrified young dog which was lost for three days after being spooked by fireworks has been found 13 miles away after a social media blitz.

Hundreds of Twitter and Facebook messages were circulated to  track down Glen after the frightened collie sped off from his owner, Iain Mackinnon of Gress, Lewis, from Edinburgh city centre, around 11.30pm on Hogmanay.

Mr Mackinnon, a retired secondary school head teacher, who was on holiday in the capital, hunted high and low for the black and white sheepdog which is unused to traffic and busy streets.

Up in Stornoway, Mr Mackinon’s son, also called Iain, took to the internet to widen the search. He posted messages and his mobile number online using his twitter page and set up a “Find Glen” facebook.

He was amazed at the huge response and sent his father down to Port Seton by Cockenzie in East Lothian this morning after a number of calls from the area.  

Iain Mackinnon junior explained: “Dad was down visiting my sister in Edinburgh.

“He took two of his three dogs with him and took them out for a piddle before the fireworks started.

“A rogue firework went off and Glen bolted. I ran a three day social media blitz which went crazy.

“Hundreds of retweets and Facebook shares.”

Mr Mackinnon added: “Dad, sister and brother-in-law pounded the streets every moment of daylight.”

He said: “Eventually got some positive sightings called in from Port Seton, 13 miles away.

“Dad went out and searched there this morning (Thurs), saw something moving up ahead and whistled.

“He didn't think it had been anything till he looked down and found Glen at his feet.

“A bloke in Cockenzie phoned later to say he'd seen him going down the road with cars swerving to avoid him. Crazy story.”

Mr Mackinnon senior, a former rector at the Nicolson Institute and a Scottish Natural Heritage advisor, is taking Glen back to the islands on Friday.  

 

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Internet search tracks down spooked collie                 3/1/12