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Home / The Country

Te Puke sisters put up incredible reward for dog's return

Caroline Fleming
By Caroline Fleming
Multimedia Journalist·Bay of Plenty Times·
20 Apr, 2020 09:16 PM2 mins to read

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The disappearance of Bolt has left the family broken.

Two Te Puke sisters have scraped up an $8000 reward for the safe return of their dog, which has been missing for nearly three months.

Dog trainer Mandy Wood took on her sister's blue-grey Staffy, Bolt, last year to socialise him with her dogs and train the two-year-old.

In January, Bolt was sent back to live with Wood's sister after a dog, which had been subjected to dogfighting and breeding, turned up at her door needing care.

Blue-grey Staffy Bolt had been missing since January. Photo / Supplied
Blue-grey Staffy Bolt had been missing since January. Photo / Supplied

Within two weeks, Bolt had disappeared.

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Wood believed he had been taken as he was a purebred pup and people might have wanted to use him for breeding purposes.

This had left the family "broken" and they rallied to scrape together an $8000 reward in the hope of getting him home.

"We would offer more if we could," Wood said.

The family just want Bolt home again. Photo / Supplied
The family just want Bolt home again. Photo / Supplied

"He is a part of our hearts ... we will do anything to get him home."

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She was certain someone knew where he was and hoped the large reward would hasten Bolt's return.

There would be "no questions asked" if someone could just return him, she said.

"This is destroying our family."

Wood's regularly spent hours searching the area and in the bush for Bolt.

Many tears have been cried over the "muscly little dude". Photo / Supplied
Many tears have been cried over the "muscly little dude". Photo / Supplied

She said she had "cried so many tears" over their "muscly little dude".

"That dog just means so much to us."

Wood had paid for advertising, hoping that someone might see it and recognise him from their area.

She said he would likely have been sold on and could be anywhere in the Bay of Plenty.

She pleaded for people to keep their eyes peeled.

The family just want Bolt home again. Photo / Supplied
The family just want Bolt home again. Photo / Supplied

"You can't miss him, he is such a stunning dog ... we will never give up hope."

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She asked anyone with any information to contact her through Facebook.

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