After seven months of roaming the county's woodlands, a dog weighing almost 40kg has been found after it was tracked by volunteers during one of their most expensive rescue missions.

Cindy, a Romanian mioritic shepherd, escaped from her foster family's garden in Meopham, near Gravesend at the end of August last year.

Cindy was being tracked for seven months using cameras

After she was reported missing, community interest company Lost Dog Recovery UK South began tracking the dog, believing she may have been spooked by her new surroundings.

Volunteer Christine Walker said: "The dog had just come over from Romania so in her life before she was living in forests.

"She was brought over here and put into a foster home where she stayed for a few days and then ran for it. This breed is quite independent and self-sufficient. If people tried to catch her she would run.

"It meant lots and lots of posters and trips to Kent to put them up amongst other things. It was a very costly seven months for us."

The company said although they do not know the final total of the cost it was one of the most expensive rescue missions in terms of fuel, cameras, printing, tracking and capture work.

Cindy was spotted across Gravesham and Sevenoaks, particularly at night in woodlands and green spaces. Christine believes she was trying to find a similar environment to her homeland.

Throughout September Cindy was spotted in Vigo, Ightham in Sevenoaks, Fawkham Green and Farningham.

She was then tracked around West Kingsdown and Swanley before heading to New Ash Green where she remained from November to March with a few visits to Snodland and surrounding areas.

Due to firework events and human disruptions, Cindy did not often stay in the same location for too long which is why she was spotted in different areas across North Kent.

Lost Dog Recovery UK South works by tracking dogs through social media sightings along with cameras it positions in common sighted areas.

More than 10,000 posters and flyers were also distributed around North Kent, which according to the rescue organisation helped with sightings.

Volunteers attempted to gain her trust by leaving out food to trap her in one of their larger cages but she showed no interest in eating the food.

The elusive dog was finally captured in New Ash Green on March 27 using darts which injected a drug similar to a tranquilliser into her, with help from volunteers at Canine Capture UK. She is now living with another foster family.

Christine said: "Over the seven months she changed from a dog that stayed away from humans to one who would live on the outskirts of a village.

"The task with this type of dog is educating the public to leave them and walk on by. They really are not comfortable with humans. She has grown up without having humans in her life, or they have been negative.

"We spent a lot of time working with people to help them understand to ignore her."

Cindy was no danger to humans or other animals while she was roaming the countryside and would mostly run if she saw people.