04/11/2025
π€ BELLA β 284 DAYS MISSING π€
Darenth Country Park β Safely Trapped 29.10.25
π Darenth Country Park, Kent
π
Missing: 18/01/25
π
Found: 29/10/25
β±οΈ Missing: 284 days
On 18th January 2025, Bella disappeared from Darenth Country Park.
A young, nervous girl, she bolted out of fear and just like that, she was gone.
In the first 24β48 hours, there were sightings around the parkβs outskirts.
Drones were launched, thermal imaging cameras deployed, cameras put out, and volunteers searched day and night.
Then, on 22nd January, one last confirmed sighting gave us hope Bella was seen running near Sutton-at-Hone, heading toward home.
But she never made it.
Her harness was still on her.
And after that moment she vanished.
βΈ»
π The Silence That Followed
After the 22nd, Bella disappeared completely.
π
Days passed. Sightings stopped. Her trail went cold.
Her owners never gave up, but every day without news took its toll.
On 31st January, a black dog was reported near Crockenhill Lane.
Our team investigated posters placed, cameras set, residents checked in with. But again, nothing confirmed.
π¬ Had someone picked her up?
π¬ Was she still out thereβ¦ or lost forever?
We followed every lead.
Every βmaybe itβs herβ sighting, every black dog reported we looked. But it was never Bella.
βΈ»
π The Breakthrough β 28th October 2025
Out of nowhere, everything changed.
A kind lady from Farningham had been feeding a black dog for weeks. She assumed it belonged to a local farm until she spotted a faded DogLost poster. Something clicked. She got in touch.
That same night, she kindly bought and set up a camera.
And when the footage came through there she was.
Bella. Alive. Still out there.
The plan was set.
π
Tuesday 28th October
The MASA team mobilised. Cameras and a humane trap were set, calm, quiet, and safe.
Then, in the early hoursβ¦
πΈ 29/10/25 β 01:10 AM
Bella stepped on the plate. The trap shut.
She was finally safe.
π (See image: her moment of capture, caught on camera)
284 days missing.
Skinny. Infested with some unwelcome guests.
And her underarm was sore from a deep, early-stage infection beneath her embedded harness.
We cut it off the moment she was home and the relief on her face said everything.
π (See image: chewed, embedded harness; and Bella finally resting on the sofa)
βΈ»
π¬ A Message from Bellaβs Family:
βShe went missing back in January, and since then weβve been searching and holding onto hope.
Recently, a kind lady recognised her from a poster and got in touch. She had been looking out for Bella and even bought a camera so we could confirm it was her.
Weβre forever grateful for her help and for the support we received from both Missing Animals Support & Advice (MASA) and DogLost, who helped with advice and posters when we feared she had been stolen.
Itβs a huge relief to have her back, and we still canβt quite believe sheβs really here. π©·β
βΈ»
π€ Bellaβs story is why MASA exists.
We are a small team. Volunteers. Not-for-profit.
Behind every poster and post is hours of work:
β’ Mapping sightings
β’ Setting cameras
β’ Coaching owners
β’ Running trap ops
β’ Checking every lead
β’ And most of all - never giving up
Bellaβs recovery was a joint effort.
One of heartbreak, hope, and finally home.
β
π£ Please share Bellaβs story to raise awareness.
Too many dogs are still missing.
But with the right support and teamwork recovery is possible.
π Support our work:
π paypal.me/missinganimalsοΏΌ
π https://gofund.me/802566209οΏΌ
π missinganimalssupportandadvice.co.ukοΏΌ
π¨ Email: [email protected]
π Based in Bromley, Kent
πΈ Instagram:
π€ Welcome home, Bella.
You were always loved.
You were never forgotten.
MASA (Missing Animals Support & Advice)