Woman reunited with dog that was struck by car after going missing for five days in Arbroath

A woman has been reunited with her dog five days after he went missing and was struck by a car in Arbroath.

Atlas went missing from Arbroath on Saturday, July 18, leaving his owner, Chiara Niven, devastated.

While he was out in the wild, the pet was even struck by a car.

After five days on the run, while outside the amusement park Pleasureland, Chiara could not believe it when Atlas suddenly appeared.

“Atlas recognised me instantly and came running straight into my arms,” she said. “He was all over me, and it felt completely surreal. There were so many moments when I truly didn’t think I’d ever see this day.

“I am beyond grateful to be able to say that he is finally home, curled up beside me, safe and recovering.”

Atlas is now recovering at home, with grazes on his chin and worn-down paws among his injuries.

“His paw pads are extremely worn down and very sore from the miles he travelled, making it painful for him to walk,” Chira added.

“He also has a few grazes on his chin, but considering everything he’s been through, I feel incredibly lucky that he’s home and that his injuries aren’t any worse.

“The past five days have been filled with sleepless nights, running on pure adrenaline and hope, doing everything possible to bring my baby home.”

Atlas's paws are worn down from his ordeal — Atlas’s paws are worn down from his ordeal GoFundMe via Supplied

During the search for Atlas, a pet rescue group was targeted by vandals three times amid the hunt for the missing dog.

Missing Pets Dundee and Angus, which is run by volunteers, has helped reunite thousands of owners with their missing pets since 2013.

They were called to assist after Atlas went missing, but volunteers say their WiFi router was vandalised, someone threw milk over a volunteer and his car, and a Ring doorbell camera was also stolen and destroyed.

Chiara has since launched a fundraiser to replace the damaged equipment.

“A huge thank you goes to Missing Pets Dundee and Angus and their sponsor, James from The Pet Food Store. They contacted me shortly after Atlas was reported missing and never stopped fighting to bring him home.

“Sadly, during the search, some of the specialist equipment that was set up to help locate Atlas was vandalised. This equipment is vital in bringing missing pets home, and seeing it deliberately damaged was heartbreaking. It delayed our efforts and could have affected the outcome of the search.

“Even more upsetting, one of the volunteers who had been searching day and night had milk thrown over both him and his car while sitting nearby.

“I am utterly disgusted that someone would treat a volunteer this way when they were giving up their own time to help reunite a family with their beloved pet.

“As a thank you, I am raising money for Missing Pets Dundee and Angus.

“Every penny raised will go towards replacing equipment, maintaining the specialist resources they rely on, and helping them continue reuniting families with their missing pets.

“If you’re able to donate or share the fundraiser, it would mean the world to me and will help another family experience the joy that I was lucky enough to feel when Atlas ran back into my arms.”

You can donate to the fundraiser here.