Reward offered for missing dogs believed stolen in Otago

Jaidyn Barringer-Tairi's purebred Staffordshire bull terrier, Tank, (left) and his flatmate Quinn Shaw’s Labrador Kelpie Keith (right) went missing last week. Photo / Supplied

Keith is an unassuming chap — a labrador-kelpie cross who is always happy to greet people with a friendly handshake. Tank, the supermodel of the two, is a purebred staffordshire bull terrier.

Both are missing and there are fears the Taieri duo have been dognapped in a situation similar to two other dogs who went missing on the Otago Peninsula in 2019.

Keith and Tank’s disappearance has devastated their owners, flatmates Quinn Shaw, 23, and Jaidyn Barringer-Tairi, and they have offered a $3000 reward for any information leading to their safe return.

Shaw said their dogs disappeared from their Bush Rd (South) home in Otago last Friday after being spooked by a thunderstorm. He believed they had run off down the long rural driveway.

While there had been similar disappearances in the past, the duo had always returned, he said.

Jaidyn Barringer-Tairi is devastated after his purebred Staffordshire bull terrier, Tank, and his flatmate Quinn Shaw’s Labrador Kelpie Keith went missing last week. They believe the dogs might have been stolen. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

“This is the first time they haven’t returned.

“Someone might have picked them up on the main road.

“Tank has my flatmate’s number on his collar, but no one’s called to say they’ve got him.

“That makes me think someone has taken them, because no one in the neighbourhood has seen anything — no one.

“It’s gutting.”

Barringer-Tairi felt Tank might have been the target of the dognapping due to his breed.

Dogs New Zealand director Steven Thompson said staffies were high-value dogs that could sell for up to $5000 each. Barringer-Tairi said he had heard of purebred dogs like Tank being stolen for breeding and fighting.

“It’s devastating. I’ve heard stories about this happening to other people, but I never thought it would happen to me.

“I hate to think what’s happening to Tank right now.”

Shaw said Dunedin police were investigating.

“Tank and Keith are family to us, and to us family is everything.

“We will never stop searching for them — we just want them home.”

Alan Funnell and Louisa Andrew’s black poodle Dice and fox terrier Weed went missing from their Otago Peninsula home in October, 2019. Despite a nationwide search, the dogs have never been found.