‘This has left a huge hole in my heart’: Search for stolen Cochrane dog continues
Posted Dec 28, 2023 1:04 pm.
A family is continuing their search for a beloved dog stolen from their farm in Cochrane at the end of November.
The three-year-old white Maremma livestock guardian went missing from the family farm just days before her birthday on Nov. 27.
Mounties say they found the dog’s Apple AirTag removed and scattered about 15 kilometres away from owner Aynsley Foss’ farm.
As of Thursday, Mounties say there is enough evidence to say the dog, Dixie, was stolen.
“My animals are really everything to me, and this has left a huge hole in my heart,” Foss said to CityNews.
Since she started her search in late November, Foss says a Facebook group called “Bring Dixie Home” has formed, where she gets all kinds of leads and tips.
On top of having a friend help her by using a helicopter to get an overhead look for the dog, and flying drones, she has contacted 479 vet clinics in the province to get some more information.
Foss has also gone door-knocking and has posted hundreds of flyers.
“I’m doing my due diligence to try to get her back,” she said.
Watch: Desperate search for allegedly stolen dog
There are people who have been showing support online and on social media, with posts spreading the word to help share her story.
Foss explains people all over the country have sent in tips and leads, and she has even gotten a call from across the border in the U.S. She says she receives somewhere between 50 to 200 calls a day.
“I never thought that I would have this much support and it’s been overwhelming,” she said.
The Facebook page itself also has brought attention to other missing dogs in Alberta, with many of those posts appearing on the page while continuing to share any information found on Dixie.
When responding to people who say, “It’s just a dog,” Foss says, “My animals are everything to me.”
“I think people really understand how important dogs are,” she said.
“If you’re a dog person, they really get it. And some people say, ‘Well, I’m a cat person, but I still get it. Like if this was my cat, I would be devastated.'”
Meanwhile, the RCMP is continuing its investigation into Dixie’s disappearance and has continued to examine the AirTag through forensic analysis.
“We recovered Dixie’s AirTag and have sent DNA and swab samples to the lab but there is no timeline when the results will be back,” said RCMP information officer Troy Savinkoff.
Read More: Owners desperately searching for dog possibly stolen from Cochrane farm
Dixie is the farm’s guardian and protects the many livestock, horses, and vulnerable animals on site. One horse in particular receives special attention from Dixie, Foss says.
“So we have a horse that has just had a foal, and she’ll (Dixie) lie down and bed down right with the foal to protect her,” she explained.
“Every single night she’d be the last animal I tuck into bed, and I always thanked her for taking care of me and the farm each day. And I probably cuddled her for, you know, a good solid five minutes and … thanked her for everything.”
Foss says a group is compiling a list of stolen dogs in Alberta, and she is working to collaborate with them.
While Foss says RCMP has around five cases of stolen dogs reported in the province, she argues that number could be higher.
“A lot of people have said that they make a call to the RCMP and they don’t make a file number,” Foss said.
“So really trying to advocate for people if their dog has been stolen to make sure that they make a file number with the RCMP because RCMP can’t help if they don’t know there’s a problem.”
As advice for people with dogs, Foss says to keep your eyes on them 24/7 and to call Crime Stoppers if you see anything suspicious.
She is also making a plea to the public.
“I’m very, very heartbroken about Dixie,” she said. “If you have her, bring her into a vet and, or an SPCA, and hopefully, she can make her way home.”
-With files from Logan Stein
