Tommy Ferguson was a ginger-haired boy who was sent to the Rovers Return by his father Chaz to claim Bet and Alec Gilroy's dog Rover. Chaz had been asked to do so by Alec himself, who was desperate to get rid of the former stray but without angering his dog-loving wife. Calling at the Rovers while Alec was out walking Rover, Tommy spun a convincing story to Bet about losing his "Prince" in a wood at Heaton Park. Bet swallowed the tale, and when Tommy identified Rover when he came home, the dog wagging his tail excitedly, Bet decided the dog must be his and let Tommy take him.