A dog owner will be recognised with a special award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at the House of Lords tomorrow, honouring his tireless efforts to recover his stolen dog and reunite other lost pets with their owners.

Forklift truck driver Andy Smith, 45, from Lidget Green, Bradford, was devastated when his much-loved pet husky Murphy was stolen after slipping his lead while they were out for a walk in December 2014.

He immediately set about doing everything possible to publicise Murphy’s plight and encourage members of the public to look out for him.

His Facebook page Get Murphy Home quickly attracted 50,000 followers and Murphy’s story was soon being publicised by several celebrities and Mr Smith's MP, George Galloway.

He was even mentioned in Parliament by David Cameron during Prime Minister’s Questions.

Mr Smith was so distraught at the loss of his dog that he dropped two stone in weight in the weeks that followed, and even lost his job because he couldn’t concentrate and was spending so much time sending and checking messages about Murphy.

Undeterred, he continued his tireless searching and awareness raising until three months later, Murphy was finally found in Manchester and returned to Mr Smith.

He decided to use the positive outpouring of public support to keep searching for other stolen dogs and try to prevent others from suffering the stress and heartache he had experienced.

From Get Murphy Home, the Murphy’s Army campaign was born and is now a registered charity working to track down stolen dogs and educate the public on how to reduce the risks of having their beloved four-legged friends stolen.

Philip Mansbridge, UK Director of IFAW, said: “Andy’s amazing efforts to publicise Murphy’s theft and galvanise the public to help him find his beloved dog touched many people.

"It is fantastic he is continuing to build on this and help others in a similar predicament. Andy and Murphy are a great example of the bond between people and animals. Andy is a very deserving winner of IFAW’s Animal Campaigner of the Year Award."

Mr Smith added: "When Murphy went missing, complete panic set in. I was so desperate to get him back and was in a terrible state worrying about him. Seeing him settled and happy back at home is amazing. I feel honoured and flattered to be getting this IFAW award.

“I’m just a bloke who lost his dog and was determined to bring him home. I do my best now to help others who are going through what I did. I don’t know how they cope; I just do my little bit and hope it gets results and also opens people’s eyes about the safety of their dogs.”

Mr Smith now works with a team of 16 volunteers who help administer the Murphy’s Army Facebook pages. He is looking to expand the operation around the UK and is fundraising to open his own dog rescue kennels.

He will receive his award at IFAW’s prestigious Animal Action Awards event, hosted by Baroness Gale and presented by television wildlife presenter Bill Oddie at the House of Lords tomorrow.