Described as a miracle dog for surviving seven days lost in the remote Gascoyne after his owner’s car rollover, Clancy the blue heeler’s story has been met with an overflow of community love and support.
A mammoth community effort helped find Clancy after he ran away from the scene of his owner Jane Errey’s car accident near Coral Bay on Monday, July 3.
He spent seven days and nights lost as friends, locals and strangers helped search for Clancy on the ground and spread the word in an online campaign while an injured Ms Errey was treated in hospital.
Ms Errey, a Karratha school teacher, rolled her Isuzu on the Exmouth-Minilya Road, near the Coral Bay turn-off.
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A Bring Clancy Home Facebook page was created, attracting 2000 followers. On Monday, it was announced the missing canine had been found uninjured and in good shape on Sunday evening by Leah Price, a dog trainer who was camping at the crash scene in the hope Clancy would return.
Water, food and his dog bed were left at the accident scene for Clancy, while “scent markers” — Ms Errey’s property — were placed in the area in the hope it would attract Clancy back. The Shire of Carnarvon lent a trap and Ningaloo Aviation promised to keep their eyes peeled for Clancy during flights that covered the area.
He had been sighted a couple of times in the days leading up to Sunday, with fresh tracks spotted the day he was found.
It was the sound of Clancy’s seatbelt harness still attached to his collar clinking against a water bowl that was music to Ms Price’s ears.
A team of three dog trainers had been tasked with bringing home Ms Errey’s “pride and joy”, using a trap from the council and requesting no one bring dogs to the site in fear of their scent deterring Clancy from returning.
“What an outcome. Thank you to everyone who has supported this search. Your are all amazing, WA for the win,” Ms Price posted to the Facebook group.
The post announcing the prodigal son’s return had attracted more than 650 comments and 2500 likes. Many of the comments praised the community spirit on display.
Clancy and Ms Errey will be reunited as soon as the school teacher can return home from hospital.