Retired greyhound Jack is still missing despite extensive searches around the Tukituki Trail area.
Retired greyhound Jack is still missing despite extensive searches around the Tukituki Trail area.
Hope is getting fainter by the day, but the owners of two missing Central Hawke’s Bay greyhounds continue to search the Tukituki trails for their lost companions.
It is coming up for three weeks since the dogs – Maverick and Jack – disappeared on their regular Tuesday walk on the Tukituki Trail, downstream from Waipukurau.
Charlie Rogers on the Tukituki Trail where his dog Maverick “just disappeared” three weeks ago.
The dogs were being exercised by owners, Lynda Rogers and a friend. Lynda’s husband Charlie says: “The dogs sped off together and came back, having fun, then off and back again, then the next time ... they just didn’t come back.”
Since then the two women have been walking the trails between Ford Rd, Waipukurau, and Tapairu Rd, Waipawa, in all weathers and at all hours, calling and searching. They have ventured further upstream and even across the river, but there has been no sign of the dogs.
“It’s like the Bermuda Triangle,” says Charlie. “They have just disappeared.”
Friends have joined the search, as have other greyhound owners, including two from the Manawatū. “One of them even camped out to see if she could spot them,” Charlie says.
Greyhounds Jack (left) and Maverick have been missing for three weeks since disappearing while being taken for a walk.
There have been appeals on Facebook for sightings and many replies from people who use the trails who said they would keep their eyes open for the dogs.
As each weekend has approached bringing out walkers and cyclists, the dogs’ owners hopes have risen that someone would spot Maverick and Jack. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council staff working and mowing on the trails have also been alerted to the missing pair.
Posters of Maverick, a black greyhound, and Jack, who is grey and smaller, have also been put up in local shops and in mailboxes in the area they went missing.
“We got the dogs on the same day,” Charlie says. “We went together to an open day at Nightrave Greyhounds and we adopted Maverick and our friend got Jack.”
The dogs are retired racing greyhounds, a breed Charlie and Lynda have been fans of for 17 years.
“We were amongst the first people in Hawke’s Bay to adopt a retired greyhound, and we’ve had them ever since,” Charlie says. “Maverick is our fourth. They are quiet, don’t bark or smell, are great companions and great company when they’re not fast asleep. It’s hard, with him not greeting me at the door when I come in.”
The dogs are used to sleeping inside in the warm, and Charlie is worried how they would have coped in the cold and rain.
Ex-racing greyhound Maverick is much loved and his owners want him home.
“The timing couldn’t have been worse. Maverick doesn’t like loud noises and we had a thunderstorm the first night they were missing. We had torrential rain and frosts, and then the opening of duck shooting. Everything’s against them – all the things they’re averse to.”
Greyhound experts contacted by the owners say the dogs were likely to have “gone to ground” rather than carrying on running. They are unlikely to have jumped or gone through fences.
“People are telling me they must be dead. But nothing’s been found,” Charlie says. “Maybe someone’s taken them – they would get into a car. I hope they are in front of someone’s fire and being looked after.”
Most of all Charlie just wants the dogs home where they belong.
Both greyhounds are microchipped and have identifying tattoos inside their ears.
