A family was extremely anxious when their dog went missing, only to be surprised when she returned the following day donning a rosette from a dog show. Peter and Paula Closier’s five-year-old beagle-cross, Bonnie, disappeared from their Bolney, West Sussex home on a Sunday morning, causing them great distress. Determined to locate their cherished pet, the couple sought assistance from their two daughters and nearby neighbors. Paula, 48, reached out to authorities such as the police, vets, and dog warden in hopes of finding Bonnie, who they had rescued from Crete four years prior.

Peter Closier, seen in the photo with Bonnie and his daughter Eva, was extremely anxious when Bonnie went missing from their house in Bolney, located in West Sussex, one Sunday morning.

Bonnie, a four-year-old pup, had an eventful Sunday afternoon showcasing her talents at a dog competition in Surrey. Little did anyone know, John Wilmer, a fellow dog owner, had spotted Bonnie wandering by the road shortly after she escaped while on his way to a show in Felbridge, Surrey.

It was a huge relief for Bonnie’s owner, Paula, when she came across a Facebook post from John seeking the owner of the missing pet. Once Bonnie’s owners were identified, John decided to bring Bonnie along to the competition and even playfully entered her in the Best Rescue Dog category.

To everyone’s delight, Bonnie managed to leave a lasting impression on the judges and was awarded a third-place rosette. Looking back on the day’s events, Peter shared how they realized Bonnie was missing around 11:45 am when he went to feed her and their other dog, Cleo. Usually, Bonnie is the first to show up, but on that day, she was nowhere to be found.

Bonnie, who is being cradled by Eva, Peter and Paula’s daughter, was saved by the family when they found her in Crete, Greece at the age of one.

The judges were bowled over by Bonnie’s performance at the competition, and she proudly brought home a shiny third place ribbon in the category of ‘Best Rescue Dog’.

When Bonnie got back home, Peter commented that she seemed to have had a great time out. They initially thought she might not be interested in food and searched the house thoroughly, but she was nowhere to be found. As Peter was heading back to the kitchen, he noticed that the gate was open, and he immediately felt worried. The neighbors joined in to help search for Bonnie around the area, not knowing that she was already safe and sound.
It turned out that a kind man had picked Bonnie up as he saw her running along the road. Since she didn’t have her collar on, which they had removed the night before, he must have picked her up shortly after she got out. The family’s three-hour search had been in vain. When Paula got in touch with John, he explained that he had found Bonnie just a short distance away from their home, so she hadn’t wandered too far.

Following Bonnie’s impressive victory and earning a rosette, Peter proposed to Paula the idea of entering her into additional competitions alongside their other dog, Cleo.

Bonnie, the rescue dog, shares her home with Cleo, another rescue dog who has participated in two dog contests in the past. According to Peter, Bonnie was unfazed when she returned, thinking she just had a fun day out. It seems she escaped in the morning, possibly to follow other dogs passing by. Although Cleo has won three rosettes in Greek dog shows, Bonnie’s owners, both dental technicians, had never entered her into any competitions. Peter mentioned that they should consider entering Bonnie in the future. When Bonnie went missing, Peter had various scenarios in mind, but he was overjoyed when she not only returned but also brought back a rosette.