Latest news with #LouiseManson
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Epileptic teenage girl's support dog who can tell when she is about to have a seizure is missing in the Scottish Highlands
He has been specially trained to support a teenager with epilepsy by alerting her and her family to an impending seizure. But two-year-old golden retriever Louie has not been seen for a fortnight after managing to slip off his lead during a walk in the Highlands. An urgent search is now underway to reunite the support dog with 17-year-old Ellie Lynn, in Fort William. Her mother, Louise Manson, said the family had been out to Steall Falls, in Glen Nevis, on May 26 when Louie gave them the slip and has not been since. However, the 41-year-old believes the dog is still out there and said: 'We have heard barking and his scent has been picked up by a tracker dog, but other than that there's been very little. 'But it does give us hope that he's still alive. 'They are amazing dogs. 'I would hate to think he's out there hurt and we can't get to him.' The family have camped in the area and had barbecues in the hope of luring Louie back to them while local groups and walking visitors have also kept an eye out for him having seen social media posts about the missing dog. There are even wildlife cameras set up to see if he can be traced. Ms Manson said Louie and her daughter bonded from the very first time they met. She added: 'Louie picked Ellie, he stuck with her our whole visit. 'He's amazing, so bubbly and friendly. 'If Ellie is building up to a seizure he can somehow sense it and alerts us so we know what we're looking for and know if its going to develop. 'Even when Ellie is unwell he doesn't leave her side, he can sense when something is wrong with her. 'If anyone is ill, he lies with his head on our chests. 'He's Ellie's main support, like a security blanket.' The teenager told the BBC: 'Louie's really important because he helps me with my epilepsy. 'He doesn't really bark but he tries to make people notice something's wrong and takes them to where I am. 'Then he comes and lies on my chest or stomach. 'He's very friendly, happy and cuddly. He sits on your knee and everything. He doesn't really leave you alone. 'I miss him a lot. It's weird without him around the house.' Louie has a green collar with a small bow tie and is friendly to approach. Ms Manson said he could be on any of the routes from the waterfall and added: 'Please get in touch if you see him.'
BBC News
10-06-2025
- BBC News
Urgent search in Highlands for teenager's missing support dog
An urgent search is being carried out to find a teenager's support dog who has been missing in the Highlands for two a two-year-old golden retriever, is trained to let 17-year-old Ellie Lynn's family know when she is about to have an epileptic he went missing on the path to Steall Falls in Glen Nevis after slipping his mum, Louise Manson, 41, from Fort William, said the family have been leaving food and dirty clothes out on the route in the hope he will catch the scent. They have also camped in the area and had barbecues. Groups of locals and visiting walkers have been searching for him and wildlife cameras are being installed to see if they can spot family's hopes were raised at the weekend when a tracker dog picked up his scent after first smelling Louie's blanket. Louise told BBC News: "The dog smelled some of Louie's blanket and tracked him for a while - it must have been recent because the rain has been horrendous."It gives us a lot of hope that he's still alive. People have also been hearing barking."She said that when Louie went missing it was raining and the path was very narrow."A family were passing us, the kids were upset, the rain was pouring and Louie slipped his lead," she said."We looked down and he was literally gone. We don't know what happened to him."The family checked the river and scanned the area, going in different directions, but there was no sign of Louie."We went home, told our children, put a post on Facebook and before we knew it there were locals up here helping us search," Louise said."Louie is so friendly and bubbly. He's like one of the kids. He just sits on your knee, cuddles into you when you're watching TV. If you're not well he's always resting his head on your chest - he doesn't leave your side."If Ellie is home alone and feeling insecure he's by her side. If she's building up to a seizure he can somehow sense it and alerts us so we know what we're looking for and know if its going to develop."He's pretty amazing." Louise said it had been a real struggle for the family since he went missing."It's been really difficult," she said. "But the help has been amazing, phenomenal."He's got to be somewhere. I've heard of dogs appearing five years later, five months later."He's a member of the family. He sits at the table with us when we have dinner. He's definitely special."She added: "Ellie's lost without him."Ellie said: "He's really important because he helps me with my epilepsy. He doesn't really bark but he tries to make people notice something's wrong and takes them to where I am. Then he comes and lies on my chest or stomach."He's very friendly, happy and cuddly. He sits on your knee and everything. He doesn't really leave you alone."I miss him a lot. It's weird without him around the house."
Times
09-06-2025
- Times
The search for Louie, the therapy dog missing in the Highlands
Louie the golden retriever is cuddly, afraid of sheep and is lost in one of Britain's last great wildernesses. The two-and-half-year-old therapy dog has been missing in the shadows of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, for two weeks. But his family — who insist he is a person, not a pet — are convinced Louie is surviving in the region's high, grassy meadows and fields or lush shoulder-high bracken. His owner, Louise Manson, 41, from Fort William, has managed to mobilise groups of locals — and visiting walkers — to look for the dog ever since he escaped his lead on the narrow path to Steall Falls in Glen Nevis. 'We had dog trackers in the area who picked up a scent,' she said. 'And walkers say they have heard barking.'
