Shropshire owner spends £750 in helicopter hunt for missing dog Sylvia
A desperate Shropshire pet owner has spent £750 on hiring a helicopter to search for her missing dog.
Janice Bannister has been relentlessly scouring Anglesey for up to 12 hours a day since her Japanese Shiba Inu named Sylvia went missing there on Saturday afternoon.
Since the weekend the 58 year-old has been cycling around the island in a desperate attempt to find her beloved pooch.
But after seeing no sign of her pet, Janice resorted to a drastic measures yesterday and forked out on a private helicopter to help her comb the island in the hunt for Sylvia.
Janice, from Telford, said: "I had done a sight-seeing trip a couple of years ago and I wondered if they could do private hires.
"Thankfully they did so I booked it and went up to have a good look but couldn't see Sylvia.
"The pilot was great, he was able to take us low because there were no buildings around and even gave me extra time but I just couldn't see her."
The one-hour search of the south east coast of Anglesey cost Janice £750, which means she probably won't be able to afford it again and is back to her bicycle.
Janice, who runs a boarding kennel in Telford, lost Sylvia when she was preparing to go for a walk on Newborough beach on the south of the island with eight of her 16 dogs.
She said: "When you're walking with a group of dogs like that you have to do a head count, so once we got around the corner from the car park I did a quick count and noticed one was missing.
"I went back to the car park and I couldn't find her.
"I've been searching since, apart from having to take my son back to Telford for school.
"She's just a lovely girl and we've had her since she was a pup.
"She will be so scared and confused out there. She's never been here before so it's not familiar to her."
Janice has been leaving food at the Newborough beach car park in the hope Sylvia will come back for food but with no luck.
A group has been set up on Facebook called Lost Dog Sylvia which has got 371 members all trying to help.
Thanks to the generosity of locals, Janice has been staying in Anglesey during the search and has even been offered a caravan to stay in while she hunts for her dog.
She said: "Everyone has been so supportive helping me, I don't think anyone on the Island doesn't know about Sylvia so if she is spotted please report it."
Anyone who spots Sylvia or who may have seen her since Saturday afternoon is being asked to call 01952 613500 or 07956 418207.