A WOMAN has accused Colchester Council of holding her beloved terrier to ransom after it escaped through a hole in her fence.

Bobbie the 15-year-old Jack Russell made a bid for freedom from owner Dawn Hyde’s garden in Old Heath Road, on Saturday morning.

After a frantic hour-and-a-half search, Mrs Hyde was told by Colchester Council’s dog warden that Bobbie had been captured and sent to a kennel in Stowmarket, where she would have to stay until Monday.

Despite having a microchip, it failed to scan and bring up Mrs Hyde’s details.

Mum-of-three Mrs Hyde faced a £65 fine from the council for Bobbie’s escape.

She said: “It’s like they were holding her ransom. I am absolutely shocked.

“I called the kennel and they said I couldn’t have her until Monday and there would be a fee. They said it was because the kennel was closed but I assume someone must have been there to feed her and walk her.

“I was there, ready to pick her up. The kids are in tears, they have been asking me where Bobbie is.”

She added: “I’m a responsible dog owner that got my dog chipped. She got out of a hole that I didn’t know was there.

“They just said she was a stray and they were keeping the public safe by keeping her off the streets. I was furious because I go to every length to be responsible.”

Mrs Hyde since collected Bobbie on Monday evening, when the council revealed miscommunication was to blame for her trip to Stowmarket.

A council spokesman said: “A dog was reported missing to our helpline service early on Saturday morning.

“A stray dog was then reported later in the morning.

“We understand that, between these two calls, there was a change of shifts at helpline and the information wasn’t relayed that a dog had earlier been reported missing. “As a consequence, the dog was taken to the kennels in Stowmarket as per our out-of-hours procedures.”

He added: “In the circumstances, due to the miscommunication, we would be happy to refund the fee the customer was charged on this occasion.

“We use a kennels based in Stowmarket, as it was the only kennel facility in the area that was also able to provide a rehoming service in addition to the kennelling of dogs.

“It should also be noted that all dogs are required by law to wear a dog identity tag or some other form of clear identification, whether the dog is also microchipped or not.

"Clearly, in this case, Bobbie was not wearing a tag.

"If she had been, then the above chain of events would not have occurred.

"It is an offence, and dog owners could incur a fine of up to £5,000."