She’s a survivor but Lucky the terrier could be in a hole lot more bother.
The Patterdale terrier-type made the front page of the Examiner back in 2009 after being buried alive in the woods.
The plucky fighter somehow survived her underground ordeal in Duke Woods at Denby Dale and emerged filthy and starving.
The terrier was rescued by dog owner Les Wood who gave her a new home and a new name.
Now Lucky has gone AWOL again, believed to have got stuck down a badger sett in Lowerhouses.
Retired council driver Les, 66, had taken his three dogs – Lucky, Floss and Duke – for a walk in fields near his home on Saturday lunchtime. The dogs spotted a fox and Lucky shot off in pursuit.
When she didn’t return Les went looking for her and came across what he thought was a rabbit hole in the brambles.
Les said: “Lucky had just disappeared and I thought: ‘She’s done it again’. We haven’t seen her since.”
On Sunday Les had a fire officer visit the site where Lucky went missing and there was bad news. It was a badger sett which is protected by law.
Les called out Kirklees Badger Protection Group for advice and was told to leave some of his own clothing outside the sett along with some water.
“They told me to keep my hopes up,” said Les. “The scent from the clothing or the water could attract Lucky out. I keep going up there are shouting her name but there’s been nothing so far.
“There could be two or three chambers in a sett and she may have got stuck. Once she has lost some weight she may be able to escape.
“Lucky’s not so lucky now but we know she’s a survivor. We have to keep our hopes up.”
In April 2009 Les heard barking underground and he and Floss tracked the sound to a pile of rocks. He pulled one away and Lucky jumped out.
“The first thing she did was go to a stream for a drink and she had pulled her teeth out,” said Les.
Lucky was taken to a vet who said much longer and she wouldn’t have survived.
Lucky, though, is always finding trouble. She once got stuck down a rabbit hole in Clayton West for five hours and also attacked and killed a pheasant, which Les took home and ate!
“We’ll just keep praying she will be found,” he said.
