Benny the beagle found after nine days missing in Wellington

  • 16/04/2018
Benny the beagle found after nine days missing in Wellington
Photo credit: Facebook

Benny the beagle has been found alive and well after a nine-day search operation in Wellington, to the "absolute relief" of his owners.

The beagle had gone missing while he was being taken for a walk, triggering an extensive search of the area including the use of a helicopter and one of his owners spending nights sleeping in the car in the hopes that he would return.

On Sunday, the dog was found with his leash stuck to a log, rendering him unable to move more than a few steps in either direction.

Benny had lost three kilograms during the ordeal, but thankfully he'd been able to access water during the days and nights he spent alone.

Two members of the search party had climbed up the ravine and through a waterfall in the hopes of finding him, and it took them three hours to get the dog back to the rest of the search party.

He has irritated paw pads and a slight temperature, but has otherwise come out of the ordeal relatively unscathed.

"We want to once again thank each and every person who assisted in any way to find Benny," his owners said on Facebook.

"We have been truly humbled by the care people have shown both Benny and ourselves and the huge amount of help we have received in the search for him."

Newshub.