Could you do a poll perhaps to find out how many of these posters from the Glasgow area would wash their missing child's favorite soft toy after 70 days? The results would maybe support my point.
I discussed your point with my beloved about an hour ago. It was about our neighbours, Karen and Don, and it is definitely not a missing child case.
What happened was simple, but tragic. Don was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away very shortly afterwards. Karen kept his clothes and photos on display to remind her of him. She fell into depression. It was only when she got rid of, or packed away, every memento of Don that Karen was able to get on with her own life again.
She was remarried, and the last we heard from her, a long time ago, was was that she and her new husband had moved to Hawaii.
In direct response to your proposition, I put it to my beloved. She was born in Edinburgh, but insists she is Italian. She was 50-50 on whether to wash Cuddle Cat or not.
My dog's toys and bedding get washed once per week. We don't have young children with us 24/7, so it's not to protect them or us. Here, we look after our dogs.
Did the McCanns have a dog?