A special boy is missing his special dog.
Boss, a loyal Yorkie, has been following around his favourite fella's wheelchair since both were just pups. Brendan is now 13 and was in Vancouver for regular treatment at Sunnyhill Health Centre for Children when Boss was put out in the back yard by the dogsitter, but Boss ventured out farther than usual that night and hasn't been seen since.
"It was the worst timing possible," said Brendan's mom Krystel McKinnon. "He has severe cerebral palsy and he has dystonia which is a complicating factor and one of the hardest things to medicate. It gets worse with anxiety. This dog has been his little buddy for the past five and a half years. He follows my son around everywhere. As soon as Brendan found out, all the stiffness and harsh body reactions escalated."
Boss went missing on Saturday, and they have had some clues. After posters were put up and the message circulated on social media, information came in that Saturday at about 5 p.m. only metres from their home, a vehicle was seen pulled over and an occupant wearing a blue uniform was lifting in a dog matching Boss's description. The occupant's uniform was blue and generally resembled that of a corrections officer or a firefighter. McKinnon is hoping this was a good Samaritan taking care of the missing dog, now wondering how to return it.
"He's a good dog, totally house-trained, he does tricks," she said. "Maybe someone found him and decided to keep him. I get that. But we hope someone sees this and reconsiders that, knowing what it means to my son."
The dog went missing from near the intersection of Lattman Road and Haldi Road. McKinnon is offering a $150 reward. Anyone with information can call McKinnon at 250-981-4074.
