A Christmas search is under way in King's Lynn for a missing Labrador dog called Cracker.
Even nurses completing their shifts at the town's Queen Elizabeth Hospital joined the hunt by walking the streets in a bid to find a car in which Cracker is believed to be locked.
The RSPCA appealed for the public's help in the search for the seven-year-old dog who was left in a car parked in a side street on the edge of Lynn town centre while its elderly owner went late night shopping on Thursday.
The man, who comes from March in Cambridgeshire and who has not been named, suffered a memory lapse and was found wandering the streets before being taken to the Queen Elizabeth.
As his memory slowly returned, he told nursing staff about his lost dog and the RSPCA was informed and launched a search.
The vehicle Cracker was left in is a silver Citroen Zara Picasso with the unusual registration K900 0AP. The number has been checked with the police national computer and was found to be genuine.
RSPCA regional inspector TimWass admitted the story sounded like a hoax, but extensive checks had been made to establish it was genuine.
The man's neighbours have been contacted and they have confirmed that the man has a Labrador dog called Cracker.
Insp Wass said: “We have checked out to the nth degree the facts and we are sure it is not a hoax and we are desperately searching for Cracker. It is definitely a real situation because the details are so unusual that you couldn't make it up.”
Traffic wardens and police beat officers have been briefed and nurses at the Queen Elizabeth who had heard about Cracker's plight from the patient earlier in the day were among those helping in the search.
Insp Wass explained that the dog would probably be able to cope with the cold temperatures because of its body temperature and being covered with fur. And it could go without food and water for three or four days.
. The RSPCA issued an emergency number - 0300 1234 999 - for anyone finding the dog or knowing anything about its whereabouts to call.
Even nurses completing their shifts at the town's Queen Elizabeth Hospital joined the hunt by walking the streets in a bid to find a car in which Cracker is believed to be locked.
The RSPCA appealed for the public's help in the search for the seven-year-old dog who was left in a car parked in a side street on the edge of Lynn town centre while its elderly owner went late night shopping on Thursday.
The man, who comes from March in Cambridgeshire and who has not been named, suffered a memory lapse and was found wandering the streets before being taken to the Queen Elizabeth.
As his memory slowly returned, he told nursing staff about his lost dog and the RSPCA was informed and launched a search.
The vehicle Cracker was left in is a silver Citroen Zara Picasso with the unusual registration K900 0AP. The number has been checked with the police national computer and was found to be genuine.
RSPCA regional inspector TimWass admitted the story sounded like a hoax, but extensive checks had been made to establish it was genuine.
The man's neighbours have been contacted and they have confirmed that the man has a Labrador dog called Cracker.
Insp Wass said: “We have checked out to the nth degree the facts and we are sure it is not a hoax and we are desperately searching for Cracker. It is definitely a real situation because the details are so unusual that you couldn't make it up.”
Traffic wardens and police beat officers have been briefed and nurses at the Queen Elizabeth who had heard about Cracker's plight from the patient earlier in the day were among those helping in the search.
Insp Wass explained that the dog would probably be able to cope with the cold temperatures because of its body temperature and being covered with fur. And it could go without food and water for three or four days.
. The RSPCA issued an emergency number - 0300 1234 999 - for anyone finding the dog or knowing anything about its whereabouts to call.
good news travels fast!its wonderful hes been found :cheers: