'Mind-blowing' support gives couple hope of finding collie

Wendy and Alex Keir are still searching for their beloved pet, Winston, who jumped from their ute in Tauranga 27 days ago. Photo / Supplied

Animal lovers in Tauranga have rallied behind a campaign to find missing border collie, Winston, who went missing 27 days ago.

Winston's owners have not given up hope of seeing their pooch again and attribute part of their relentless positivity to the "mind-blowing" support of the community.

The beloved 4-year-old pet went missing after he jumped out of the open window at the back of owners Wendy and Alex Keir's canopied ute as they drove home from Mount Maunganui beach.

The Keirs launched an all-out campaign to find their dog, plastering hundreds of posters around the city, offering a $1,000 reward, talking on the radio, appealing to vets and setting up the Facebook page Bring Winston Home.

Owner Wendy Keir said she and her husband were doing everything possible to get Winston back and believed he would be found soon.

"It's because of everyone else that we stay so positive. We couldn't do it without everyone being so 100 per cent positive that he's coming home. It's really what gets us through the day," she said.

She said the help from the community has been "mind-blowing" and "unreal".

"Everyone can see he's such a special dog. Now it's not about me and my husband finding Winston for ourselves, it's finding him for everyone else.

"He's got a lot of people to meet when he's found."

Mrs Keir said she has had some meltdowns, though that could be due to her being nine months pregnant and due any day.

"We have a strong feeling someone has Winston.

"We've had a couple of concrete sightings and the more people that know about him the more spottings there will be."

They were keeping busy ringing the pound every day, praying every night, doing mail drops and putting posters back up that had been ripped down.

"We know we'll get him back, it's just a matter of time," said Mrs Keir.

If you have seen Winston or know where he is, contact the owners on 027 469 7377.