Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding: release date, interview and all about her new series

Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding is a new series on Channel 5 that sees the sports presenter and pet-lover hoping to find missing dogs. 

In the UK, dogs are part of our family — 13 million of them live with us in our homes. But 40 percent of owners have had a dog go missing and 60 percent of those missing pets are never recovered. 

Clare Balding is hoping to help rectify that situation with this new three-part series. Each episode will feature missing and found dogs with viewers being asked to get in touch if they have any information that might lead to a happy reunion. 

"Think of the show as Crimewatch for dogs!’ says Crufts and Wimbledon 2023 presenter Clare. "I wanted to do it as a live show in case there’s a development during the hour we’re on TV, which there could be if you put up a photo asking if anyone has seen a particular dog."

So here's everything you need to know about Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding...

Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding release date

Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding is a three-part series that starts on Channel 5 on Tuesday, July 18 at 8 pm, with episodes running weekly at the same time. 

It can also be seen on the streaming service My5.

What happens in Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding

Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding will see experts showcasing the latest technology being used to help locate missing dogs as well as offering advice on how to keep our pets safe. The series will also feature heartwarming stories of dogs who were safely returned after disappearing, and launch appeals for missing pets.

* See more of what to expect Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding in an interview with Clare below...

Interview: Clare Balding on her Lost Dogs show

So, what will the live element add to the series, Clare? 
Clare Balding says: "Hopefully, we’ll get feedback from the audience during the programme. If not, then certainly between episodes."

A staggering 95% of owners have lost their dogs, and while most are found within hours, some remain missing for a lot longer. This program feels like the first time TV has highlighted the problem, though, doesn’t it?  
"Yes, the statistics are horrifying, and this show is very much a first. We’ve done features on missing dogs when I’ve presented Crufts [Clare has fronted coverage of the event for both the BBC and C4 since 2004], but there hasn’t been a program like this before. When a dog goes missing, you will see lots on social media, but, actually, there isn’t much on TV."

Is this an issue you’ve worried about as a dog owner? "Luckily, it’s not something that has affected me directly. I adored my dog, Archie [Clare’s Tibetan terrier who sadly passed away in 2020] and, of course, I didn’t want him taken. But I always thought he would not have been friendly to any kidnappers, so anyone trying to take him would have been in big trouble! We worry about our cats, for sure, and we do take precautions and make sure they do not go outside." 

During the series, experts will share suggestions on ways to keep our beloved pets safe, won’t they? 
"Yes, we’ll be giving advice as well as offering tips for what to do if your dog does go missing. Your instinct might be to get a search party out there, but, actually, what can happen is the dog can get very scared by all these strange people shouting their name. We’ll also talk about what happens if you find a stray dog and how to report it."

Is it enough to get your dog microchipped, do you think?
"You should get your dog microchipped, but a microchip is not a tracker – you can get security trackers for dogs. We do a feature on the proposed Fern’s Law, which was inspired by a sprocker spaniel who was stolen from the garden. Vets don’t have to scan for microchips unless animals come in as strays, and Fern’s owner wants that changed so that all dogs are scanned." 

Could you tell us about some of the stories we’ll see in the series?
"There’s a little terrier called Millie who was lost for four days and a search-and-rescue drone spotted her stranded on mudflats. The tide was rising, and they needed to take action urgently to save her, so they dangled a sausage from a drone and Millie followed the sausage! There’s also Ralph, a little Cavapoo who slipped his lead and jumped in a taxi to the airport while his owner was desperately looking for him!"

What makes dogs so special?
"They’re just wonderful animals. Dogs have been inside our homes since Victorian times, largely thanks to Queen Victoria popularising that concept, and they become part of the family very quickly. They’re hugely empathetic animals and I think they can console people in pain or bereavement, but also they give you a reason to go out every day."

You’re also on our screens at the moment leading the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon. Do you enjoy working on shows like Lost Dogs alongside your various sports presenting roles? 
"Oh yes. It’s actually been a very doggy year for me because I’ve just finished writing a book called Isle of Dogs [due for release on October 12], so I have been doing a lot of dog research. It’s always great to get the chance to talk about dogs, I’ll always want to do that."

Is there a trailer Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding?

We haven't seen a trailer for Live: Lost Dogs with Clare Balding just yet, but we'll post it here if one arrives from Channel 5.