Nelly, an 11-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, has defied the odds by surviving two weeks lost in freezing conditions on the Cotswolds’ highest point, Cleeve Hill. The beloved dog went missing on New Year’s Eve during a walk with her owner, Matt Grimshaw, on the 330-meter hill above Cheltenham, which is Gloucestershire’s and the entire Cotswolds’ highest summit.
Despite temperatures plummeting to -5°C and snowfall over the two weeks, Nelly was discovered alive on January 13, tangled in brambles and barbed wire about half a mile from where she disappeared. Her rescue was thanks to pheasant shoot beater Mike Lord and his dog, who stumbled across her in the woods.
The search for Nelly engaged hundreds of volunteers, including drone operators and sniffer dog handlers, all rallying after Matt’s heartfelt appeals on social media. Matt, a 40-year-old carpenter from Winchcombe near Cheltenham, expressed immense relief and joy at having Nelly safely back with him, his wife Melody, and their two teenage children.
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Reflecting on how Nelly survived, Matt speculated she may have drank from puddles and consumed available food sources such as grain from farmers’ hoppers, discarded scraps, and even rabbit droppings. Though Nelly had lost about a fifth of her body weight and suffered sore paws and a minor flesh wound on her ear, she is otherwise in good condition. A vet provided painkillers, and despite missing her regular heart murmur medication, she is recovering well.
At home, Nelly now enjoys the company of her family and their other dog, Connie, a three-year-old Cavalier cross Cocker Spaniel. Matt praised the overwhelming support from the community, recalling how on New Year’s Eve hundreds gathered near the car park to search, including a woman who drove daily from Devizes in Wiltshire to help.
Winchcombe canine massage therapist and dog lover Ruth McDonagh, who joined the search efforts, admitted the odds of Nelly surviving seemed slim given the rugged, heavily wooded terrain full of hiding spots. The news of Nelly’s rescue brought joy and relief to all who participated, reinforcing the powerful bond between a dog and its community.