Milo the Melbourne Airport escapee reunites with owners in UK after weeks on the run.

Milo the Jack Russell cross is settling into his new home in the United Kingdom after sparking a 17-day search and rescue effort in the industrial estate in Tullamarine.

"He was so excited to meet Nick and I today," said a relieved owner, Jason Whatnall.

"The hype and everything that's led up to this, I think it's all been a big adventure for him."

The international fugitive made headlines after Mr Whatnall took to social media appealing for the community to help find his lost furry friend.

He had only been at the airport for half an hour when he managed to escape his handler and race off.

A specialist animal rescuer came on board, driving around the industrial estate playing a recording of Mr Whatnall's voice through a speaker while businesses left food out to help keep him nourished and to try to lure him out of hiding.

Eventually, Milo was spotted sleeping underneath a shipping container and, with the aid of a special trap stocked with doggy treats, his life on the run came to a halt.

"Getting that call was a huge sigh of relief," Mr Whatnall said.

"Obviously being in the UK, I felt quite helpless and couldn't be there to search for Milo myself but thankfully the volunteers and community members stepped up to the plate."

Milo — who had lost 1.5 kilograms since going missing — was this week successfully loaded onto a plane to London and transported onto his new home in Wales where Mr Whatnall and his partner Nick were waiting.

"[Milo] was just crying and squeaking with delight, he couldn't wait to get out of the cage," Mr Whatnall said.

"He ran straight to Nick, we had cuddles and there's tears flowing and he jumped right up into my arms.

"We did it inside a house so it was safe, so we could really release him without him taking off for part two in London."

Mr Whatnall said the trio spent their first day back together playing and "hanging out".

"I think it's all catching up with him now," he said.

"He's a bit jet-lagged and needs a good sleep." 

Mr Whatnall said he planned on spoiling Milo with treats, including chicken and his favourite food, as the family forged a new life abroad.

Crafty canine 'would just bolt':

Animal rescuer Nigel Williamson and his colleague spent more than 84 hours combing the industrial estate.

He said Milo was an elusive target.

"While he was at large, he wouldn't go near anybody at all, we couldn't get within 300 metres of him — he saw a person and he would just bolt," Mr Williamson said.

"Once we had him out of the trap, he became very, very friendly and he returned back to his normal self."

Mr Williamson said he believed Milo used his Jack Russell instincts to hunt out rats and rabbits, and sifted through rubbish bins to find food.

He said a colleague who spent 39 hours staking out the shipping container yard made a video call to Mr Whatnall as soon as they retrieved Milo.

"Whether or not he recognised him or not, I'm not sure,": he said.

"[But] Milo was able to hear Jason's voice straight away and see him on the phone."