Went missing from British Columbia farm | Family wondering if dog described in recent advertisement is their pet
A British Columbia farm family is hoping for a Christmas season miracle.
They want their dog back.
Neiko, an Australian Shepherd owned by the Irvine family, went missing July 5. It was unlike him to leave the farm, where he and his sister, Tessa, often waited at the end of the long driveway for family members to return.
The two dogs roamed the family’s 80-acre property near Quick, where the Irvines raise sheep, chickens and hay.
Shelley Irvine said the area around their farm is bushy and frequented by coyotes and bears, but searches for Neiko turned up no sign of predation. A poster campaign in the region was similarly fruitless.
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“He never ever surfaced, and I really felt he got taken,” said Irvine in a phone interview Dec. 20.
Then came an advertisement on Kijiji, a web-based advertising site.
“It described our dog perfectly,” said Irvine, “but there was no picture.
“Our dog was beautiful. Neiko, I couldn’t take him to town without people stopping and saying, ‘wow, your dog is beautiful.’ ”
Adding further to their suspicions, the ad mentioned that “Jake” had “playful tendencies that were a little rough” when it came to cats.
Irvine said Neiko was afraid of cats because of a bad experience as a puppy.
The online ad offered only an email address, which the family used repeatedly, asking for more information but without mentioning their suspicions. Irvine said there has been no reply.
“If it was a legit ad, you’d think they would respond and say he’s gone or he’s sold, or something, right? It’s just very weird.”
Similar inquiries made by The Western Producer had not yielded a response at time of publication.
If the dog was abducted and has since been sold, Irvine said the family wants to know.
“Maybe someone will see (this) and if they’re honest enough, they may try and get hold of us,” he said.
The Irvines can be reached at 250-846-5962 or 250-877-1454.
