Grinning and bearing it for a teddy at large

A car rental company is combing South Africa for a little girl who is missing her pink teddy bear.

Hertz South Africa began looking in earnest for the mystery owner of "Teddy" - the bear - after a Dutch tourist stumbled on the stuffed animal in a car she had rented at OR Tambo Airport while on holiday a month ago.

Since discovering the toy, Hylke Walters - a professional dog trainer who lives near Rotterdam in the Netherlands - has made it her mission to track down the bear's owner.

Walters set up a Facebook page "Where's My Mommy?", to which she posted pictures of Teddy on safari, posing with some of the Big Five at the Kruger National Park, relaxing at a five-star game lodge and donating R15,000 to the De Wildt cheetah centre.

Walters had to return home with Teddy, but the search continues.

The story of the lost toy has gone viral and even piqued the interest of a Dutch television station, which ran a story about the bear.

Said Walters: "I was very much in love with my own teddy when I was small, so I immediately felt sad for the little girl who had lost it. Right away I decided I would try to locate the little girl with help from Hertz."

mini_story_image_hleft1

But she wanted to return the bear with a "nice story", so she made Teddy a big part of her South African bush holiday.

"It was a bit embarrassing - a 40-year-old woman walking around with a pink bear - but it was for a good cause.

"Everybody loves the story of Teddy," who spent some time in the Kruger National Park and the Tshukudu Game Lodge in Limpopo.

Walters is holding thumbs the little girl will be found " ... but until then Teddy's adventures will continue ..."

Margie Gawith, a spokeswoman for the car-hire firm, said the search had extended to all major cities in South Africa. A tip in Port Elizabeth turned out to be a false lead, but now the hunt is on for a dad who has a Dubai driver's licence.