Gamekeepers go to ground to rescue Jazz the cocker spaniel

Karen da Rosa, from Huntly, was working her beloved little cocker spaniel, Jazz, picking up game at a grouse shoot on Invermark Estate when Jazz disappeared without trace.

Naturally, Karen was in panic mode, fearing she would never find her on such a vast area of open hill.

It was only after a second thorough search of the area did estate gamekeepers manage to locate the curious dog.

By returning to the area where Jazz was last seen, head gamekeeper and member of Angus Glens Moorland Group, Garry MacLennan, heard breathing at an opening and discovered Jazz had entered a pipe hole on the moor.

At that stage, one of the young – and thin – gamekeepers, Johnny Stevenson physically pushed himself into the hole head first to confirm the find and reassure Jazz before she could be dug out and returned to her relieved owner.

Thankfully Jazz was unfazed by her ordeal and was delighted to be reunited with Karen after the search.

Karen da Rosa said: “I couldn’t thank the Invermark heroes enough for saving Jazz and everyone on the shoot took the time to search. What an awesome team. She actually came out toastie warm and happy as punch. Surprisingly.

I thought she’d be freezing and in shock. Think the mud pack kept her warm. One lucky little dog and owner!”

Johnny Stevenson described the moment Jazz was found and admitted the rescue was one of the messier jobs he has undertaken in his duties on a shoot day.

He said: “It’s never a nice feeling when a dog goes missing. Karen had resigned herself to her dog being lost due to the length of time she was missing, so once she was located it was a massive relief to everyone. Our head keeper stopped the shoot to look for her and managed to located her down a pipe hole, which is an under ground peat chamber that lets the water run, by listening for her breathing. After digging about 6 feet of wet peat we broke through and pulled the dog out. It was very happy to see us.”