Sally and James Parker from Manchester got married last year. They then left their five-year-old dog, Blackie, in a dogs' home while they went (1) ... their honeymoon to Venice. While they were away, Blackie escaped (2) ... the dogs' home. The dogs' home was not in Manchester but 500 miles away in Cornwall near to (3) ... town where James's parents lived. As soon as they got back from their honeymoon, James and Sally drove to Cornwall to look for Blackie. Unfortunately, they were out of (4) ... luck. However, they refused to give (5) ... . They drove to Cornwall every weekend for the next six months. By then the weekly drive had become so tiring that James sold his business and they moved to Cornwall.

Blackie has now been missing for fourteen months. Sally and James have seen her several times but they have not succeeded (6) ... catching her. James says that (7) ... problem is that Blackie is too nervous now to let anyone come (8) ... her.