Spice Girl calls in pet detectives to find missing dog (From Enfield Independent)

Spice Girl and Heart FM DJ Emma Bunton calls in pet detectives to find dog that went missing near Trent Park, Enfield

3:52pm Tuesday 5th February 2013 in News By Chris Hewett

Distraught Spice Girl Emma Bunton has called in pet detectives to find her “beloved dog” that went missing near an Enfield Park.

The Heart FM DJ has also offered a reward for information on the whereabouts of her brown Labrador Pheobe, which ran off during its morning walk in Hadley Wood yesterday.

Miss Bunton, who lives in the Finchley area, made an emotional appeal on Twitter yesterday for people to search in East Barnet, Hadley Wood and Trent Park.

But after the “gentle” pooch failed to turn up, the 37-year-old presenter and her fiancée Jade Jones enlisted the help of pet-finding experts Dog Lost.

The canine sleuths, which have helped other famous names including Lily Allen, Bruce Forsyth and Lionel Blair find missing pets, are now on the case.

Posters have been put up in the area, while volunteers have been offering search advice to the family and joining in the hunt themselves.

But Dog Lost representative Nik Oakley has warned that, although the animal ran off of its own accord, it could be vulnerable to opportunist dog nappers.

She said: “It is what we call theft by finding, where people can take the dog and then go looking for a reward. I don’t want to alarm the family but we have to consider that, given who the dog belongs to, it is a possibility.”

Miss Bunton tweeted further pleas for help today and most recently wrote: “I still haven't found my beloved chocolate Labrador, please let me know any info, there will be a reward.”

Family members and celebrity friends, including fellow Spice Girl Mel C, have also taken to Twitter to broadcast the appeal, while fans have sent messages of support to Miss Bunton.

Poster appeals and searches are continuing but if the dog is not found by the end of the week, Dog Lost says it could bring it scent trails to entice the canine back.

The dog detectives recovered 80 per cent of the pets it helped search for last year and Mrs Oakley believes they can get Pheobe back.

She said: “Labradors are known for being quite bouncy and quite naughty so it is not unusual for them to run off.

“They’re quite resilient and she’s probably having a great deal of fun, oblivious to the fact that her family is very worried.

“We have a good record for getting pets back and I’m confident we can get her back to Miss Bunton soon.”