Sue Forrester never set out to become a go-to expert on finding lost dogs. Her journey began not with a plan but with heartbreak.
After losing her rescue Jackadoodle, Lily, Sue found herself drawn into the world of finding lost dogs, channelling her grief into a mission to reunite pets with their families.
Over the years, she’s participated in nearly 200 searches, showing that heroes don’t always wear capes – sometimes, they’re out in the woods, armed with treats and a camera, searching for a lost four-legged friend.
A tragic motivation
Sue’s journey into dog rescue began with her own beloved dog, a jackadoodle named Lily who came into her life by chance but left an indelible mark.
“I went to drop off a donation at the dog centre,” Sue recalls, “and the man there told me I needed her.
“She needed a home, and I knew I could give her that.”
Lily’s story, however, took a heart-breaking turn. One day, she bolted out the front door and ran into the road, where she was struck by a bus.
The loss was devastating and sparked a deeper resolve in Sue. She is still tearful and emotional when discussing Lily: “I held her tiny body and made a promise to her,” she says.
“I couldn’t save her,” Sue says, “but I can save others. That’s why I do this.”
Gaining experience and expertise
From that painful experience grew Sue’s determination to turn her pain into purpose.
With each successful recovery, her expertise grew. “It’s like solving a puzzle every time,” Sue says.
“No two cases are the same. Each one is a mix of canine detective work and community collaboration.”
Sue’s skill set is the result of years of hands-on experience and learning from some of the UK’s best.
“I follow amazing people like Liz Milligan in Ayrshire,” she says. “They’ve taught me a lot. Once, when I was struggling with a search, Liz sent me six cameras overnight – each worth £300.
“That kind of support reminds you you’re part of a larger community.”
“I’m not the best in the country, but I’ve learned from the best. Every search teaches me something new,” she says.
Sue’s right-hand man is Jamie Shutler, a former Army military policeman who used thermal equipment to find a lost golden retriever at Kingsbarns beach last year.
“Jamie will come out in any weather at any time to fly my drone and help in the searches,” Sue says.
Bringing beloved pets home
Sue recalls a particularly challenging rescue that tested her skills.
A rescue German Shepherd called Raven bolted during a walk with her new owner. “She didn’t even know the area, so her behaviour was completely unpredictable,” Sue explains.
“I told the owner, ‘This could take two weeks.’ We had to think differently because she wasn’t going to come back to the starting point on her own.”
The search team set up a barbecue to lure the dog and used cameras to track her movements.
“When we finally saw her on the camera, I knew we would get her,” Sue says.
“Dogs are creatures of habit. She had created a routine, and we intersected it. That’s how we brought her back safely.”
One of Sue’s most memorable rescues involved Sunny, a small Bichon Frise, who went missing during a walk at Tentsmuir Beach in 2016 and was at large for 10 days.
Sue had just sat down for dinner with her children Beth and Joe, when a call came in asking her to check out a sighting of Sunny at Leuchars beach as she was the closest.
Successful search at Tentsmuir
Without hesitation, the family dropped their cutlery and rushed out the door to join the search. “You can’t waste time when a dog is spotted in a place like Tentsmuir. It’s such a vast area.”
They ran into the forest to reach the site on the beach where Sunny was last seen and they saw paw prints in the sand.
“I said, ‘those are fresh prints, she’s here!’,” recalls Sue.
As they approached the shoreline, it was Beth who first spotted the tell-tale white fluff darting in and out of the dunes.
“Beth was able to run faster than me and the next thing I know, I get a call saying she’s got her.
“She was covered in ticks and stank of horse poo, which she’d been living off, but we were so happy to have found her,” says Sue.
Ralph, a 10-month-old cockerpoo puppy who vanished in Newport, was another memorable case from 2016.
Pup vanishes in Newport
The frightened pup was believed to have been hit by two cars and was missing for over 24 hours.
Sue and her daughter leapt into action again at 4.30am after hearing about Ralph’s disappearance.
Ralph’s owner was on holiday at the time and her sister, Lisa Carlin, had launched a frantic search after learning the puppy had bolted on Tuesday afternoon.
“I can’t thank Sue enough,” Lisa said. “She phoned me at 4.30 on Wednesday morning and said she was heading out, and she didn’t stop until he was found.”
Reports of Ralph being spotted on the Tay Road Bridge added to the urgency. Finally, he was located cowering in the bushes of a Newport garden.
“He was gentle as anything,” Sue recalled. “Despite reports that he’d been hit twice, he seemed to be okay.” She carefully slipped a lead over his head and brought him to safety.
Tips to get your dog back
When asked what to do if your dog goes missing, Sue lays out a clear plan.
“Get it on social media immediately. Share it widely but responsibly – tell people not to chase the dog. Contact local lost dog groups, the police, and the dog warden.
“Stay at the last known location, but also have someone at home in case the dog finds its way back if it’s local.”
“Dogs often return to the place they last saw their owner. But don’t shout or chase them – they are already in a heightened state of anxiety so that can make it worse.
“Instead, let them see you and approach on their own terms.”
She also relies on the goodwill of local communities. “People in Fife are dog mad,” Sue laughs. “When a dog goes missing, you see hundreds of shares.”
Not every rescue mission ends successfully, and Sue says that sadly those are the ones she remembers most.
“Halfway through a search, I sometimes think, ‘Why am I doing this? It’s freezing, and everyone else is out having fun.’ But when you see a dog reunited with its family, it’s all worth it.
“I do it for the dogs,” she says simply.
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