What happened to Nicola Bulley’s dog?
A DOG expert has said missing mum Nicola Bulley's pet could be vital in helping to trace her.
Colin Tennant, director of the Institute of Dog Behaviour and Training, explained that pooches often return to the last spot that they were with their owner due to a strong sense of smell.
He wrote in that if a person had fallen into a river, as cops suspect Nicola, 45, may have done, then their dog would tend to pick up their scent and circulate the area.
What happened to Nicola Bulley's dog?
Nicola's springer spaniel Willow was found close to where her owner went missing
The fact that the dog was dry has led to speculation that the mum-of-two did not fall into the river.
However, a second canine behaviour expert, Ross McCarthy, told the : "It all depends on the dog’s association with water and their relationship with the owner and so on, as to whether they would jump in.
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"Dogs go into fight or flight as we do, but they may not perceive the same dangers as us. Often chemical changes in the body of the owner can alert the dog to an unusual situation but naturally if the owner is not present - that won't be the case.
"Presumably this dog has been walked along the canal and water often and been discouraged from going in or naturally just avoided going in. It would be a strange occurrence from the dog’s perspective - but outside of Disney and in exceptional cases - dogs don't jump in to save owners."
Where was Nicola Bulley walking her dog?
Mortgage advisor was walking Willow on a river path in St Michael's-on-Wyre, , when she is believed to have fallen in.
At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a long black gilet jacket with a hood and had her hair tied in a ponytail.
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She had black jeans on with olive green ankle wellies.
Nicola's phone and the dog's lead were found on a bench nearby.
When did Nicola Bulley go missing?
Nicola was reported missing on January 27, 2023.
She was last seen at 9.10am that morning.
Superintendent Sally Riley of Lancashire Police confirmed there is a ten minute window where they cannot account for Nicola's movements.
This is between the last confirmed sighting at 9.10am, and 9.20am when Nicola's phone was connected to a work call on the bench.
Nicola's parents Ernest and Dot Bulley have pleaded for anyone with information on their daughter's disappearance to come forward.
Her partner, Paul Ansell, has openly spoken about the hell the family are going through.
He told of how her two daughters broke down when he had to tell them "mummy's lost".
