THE owners of a cocker spaniel found dead after being reported stolen at Flamborough have said they are devastated by the loss. Spaniel Daisy is thought to have been snatched by a gang of men while she was out for a walk with her owner, Jill Epworth, in Flamborough on Thursday.
However, yesterday, Ms Epworth and her partner Graham Clark were given told that their pet had been found dead.
Police have said there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances. When Daisy went missing hundreds of Mail readers sent an appeal through Facebook to try to find her.
Mr Clark said: "I know to some people she is only a dog, but to us she was everything.
"We are missing her already. We don't know exactly what has gone on, but it is just awful."
The couple got Daisy after Ms Epworth was diagnosed with the neurological condition multiple sclerosis and had to leave her job.
"She has helped no end," said Mr Clark.
"She was a real companion for Jill. For us, we have some closure now, but we are devastated."
He said the couple had been moved by the support from members of the public to help find Daisy, as appeals to find her were shared thousands of times.
The walker who found Daisy recognised the dog from the appeal and contacted police.
Mr Clark was then sent photographs of her body and confirmed it was his missing pet.
"There have been so many lovely people out there who have given us so much help and support," Mr Clark said.
"Everybody has been so caring and we want to say thank you. The police have been brilliant, as have Andrea, Alexander and Tracy, of lost and found.
"They gave us so much help and encouragement."
Police said a witness saw three men taking photographs of a dog near the RNLI station in South Sea Road, close to where Daisy ran away.
They then picked up the dog and walked away towards the Living Seas Centre and the car park.
The witness said the dog had a bleeding paw.
A spokesman for Humberside Police said: "Daisy the cocker spaniel has been found deceased.
"A call was made to police reporting that a dog, believed to have matched the description of missing Daisy, had been found deceased.
"The dog, which has now been confirmed as the missing cocker spaniel, was found on Danes Dyke Beach, close to Flamborough Head.
"The owner of the dog has been informed and there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances."
