Search party helps find stolen senior dog in Downtown Eastside
A dog that was stolen from its owner has been found safe and sound, thanks to the efforts of those involved with a search party for him in the Downtown Eastside on the weekend.
On June 18, Heli – a senior brown and white Jack Russell – was taken near Main and Powell streets as his owner, Mark Milburn unloaded gear at his studio.
The disappearance sparked a huge search around the neighbourhood. Milburn plastered the area with posters — and took to social media to update people on the progress. He even hired a pet detective to bring in bloodhounds to track Heli’s scent, given that there were several sightings of the dog during the week.
On Saturday, June 22, a search party organized with the help of Thank Dog I Am Out (TDIAO) dog rescue set out to find Heli, along with several other dogs that have been reported stolen or missing, recently — and seen in the area.
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And in the end, it was a happy ending for Heli, who was found with the help of an “astute SRO manager,” said TDIAO on Facebook.
“Heli’s team never stopped applying pressure on the community and plastered posters everywhere,” said TDIAO. “The DTES is filled with people who DO care no matter what their stories are, they helped with Heli.”
With Heli now safely reunited with his owner, the group is now focusing their attention on another recently missing dog named Jack, who has reportedly been seen in the neighbourhood, “so the search for Jack continues.”
Where is Jack?
Described as a “big but gentle,” 90-lb, rottweiler-mix, Jack was stolen from his owner’s yard on Vancouver’s west side.
According to TDIAO, there have been seven “consistent” tips regrading his whereabouts, notably, that he “has been seen being dragged by a white man, stocky and likely bald.”
While the group was unable to find Jack on Saturday, they are still holding out hope they can bring him safely home, much like they did with Heli.
Jack was stolen from his home on Vancouver’s west side, and is likely in the DTES. (Thank Dog I Am Out / Facebook)
In the meantime, anyone who lives in the areas of Gastown, Chinatown, or points in between, as well as nearby, is asked to keep a lookout for him.
Anyone who spots who they believe to be Jack is asked to “please take photos, follow subtly if you can, then contact us or if the dog is in danger call 911.”
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