A five-year-old sproodle named Murphy was found on the side of the M6 after escaping from a back garden in Stafford. The dog had been missing for more than two hours and travelled almost four miles before being discovered.
Owner's Relief
Murphy's owner, James Farrow from Stafford, expressed his relief and gratitude. "Somehow, and we still don't know how, Murphy got out of the back garden," he said. "He was spotted a couple of times and people tried to round him up with a treat, but he was frightened so just scarpered."
Rescue on the M6
Murphy ended up on the northbound side of the M6 between junctions 13 and 14. Drivers attempted to rescue the frightened dog, but traffic officers Rose Savage and Sophie Barnett, who were on a regular patrol shift on 12 April, stepped in to slow down traffic and close lanes to ensure Murphy could be safely removed from the verge and reunited with his owner.
Rose warned drivers about the dangers of stopping on the motorway. "People were stopping their cars in the emergency layby and walking up and down next to moving traffic. But as much as your heart's in the right place wanting to help, it could cause an injury or accident and there could be much bigger consequences," she said.
Sophie added: "We got to Murphy as fast as we could, but because members of the public were stopping it made things a bit more challenging. It's better to call 999 or the National Highways Customer Contact Centre and carry on your journey, leaving us to respond safely."
Happy Reunion
Thanks to a collar with his owner's contact details, the traffic officers were able to contact the family. James said: "As soon as the traffic officers told me he'd been found on the motorway my heart dropped. I had been worried he was going to run into a main road, but I didn't even think he would end up anywhere near the motorway, let alone on it."
James noted that Murphy had likely travelled over several main roads and housing estates before getting stuck on the motorway. "I imagine he would've been scared of the traffic, but I can't believe Murphy didn't get hit by a car and no accidents happened from people stopping on the motorway to try and rescue him," he said. "Murphy is another member of our family, and we would've been absolutely devastated if we'd lost him. There are no words really that could explain how grateful we are to the traffic officers and people that risked their lives to rescue a dog."
Murphy was exhausted from his ordeal, with grazed and sore paws for a few days afterwards, but soon returned to his usual self. In an emergency, motorists should call 999. For other incidents, report to the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 or online via the National Highways Help Centre.
