Help Us Find ‘Huddersfield Ben’ - The First Yorkshire Terrier A Treasure Hunt To Find A Unique Piece Of Canine History

In a glass case, somewhere in Britain - perhaps in a corner of an attic or at the back of a garage - stands a taxidermied Yorkshire Terrier.

But he’s not just a much-loved Yorkie whose owner wanted to preserve him for all time. He’s ‘Huddersfield Ben’: the first-ever Yorkshire Terrier, and his remains, once publicly displayed, have been missing since before the war.

Can you help us find him? We think Huddersfield Ben deserves to be on display to be enjoyed by all those who love dogs and their history. Many museums in Yorkshire agree with us, and would love to feature him.

Ahead of Pets4Homes participating in Dogfest, taking place at Harewood House in Yorkshire this weekend (24th-25th September) - and with the help of experts on canine history - we are launching a search for Huddersfield Ben, the 19th century progenitor of the Yorkshire Terrier who Bryan Cummins, author of The Terries of England and Wales, calls the “‘founding father of the Yorkshire Terrier”.

Huddersfield Ben was born in 1865 and went on to win many prizes in dog shows around the UK. Ben and his owners, Mr and Mrs Jonas Foster, lived in Bradford, Yorkshire. His life was cut short by a carriage accident in 1871, after which he was taxidermied, placed in a glass case, and put on public display. Below is an early 20th century newspaper photograph of Huddersfield Ben in his case.

Last spotted between the wars on the mantelpiece of a pub in the north of England, the current whereabouts of this extraordinary piece of British canine history remain unknown.

Pets4Homes is asking its community of dog-lovers around the UK to search attics, garages, basements to see if they might have Huddersfield Ben.

Please contact submit@pets4homes.co.uk to share any photographs of taxidermied terriers that you believe could be Huddersfield Ben, and any accompanying information you may have.