A local couple is hoping to be reunited with their lost nine-week-old Shih Tzu puppy Jemima, who witnesses say was picked up by a likely concerned citizen after getting loose from its owner and scampering off.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
Lynn Black is hoping her days-long search ends in puppy cuddles.
While she was at an appointment in the Southeast Hill area Wednesday morning, Black says her husband was walking their two dogs along a local trail when Jemima, a nine-week-old Shih Tzu, escaped from her leash and scampered off.
Black says her husband needed a restroom break during the walk and tied the dogs to a bench for a moment, but when he returned, Jemma was gone.
“We just moved here in April, we just got the dog a week and a half ago, and she’s gone. She’s beautiful,” Black said in a phone call with the News. “Her name is Jemima, named after the syrup, but we call her Jemma. She’s nine weeks old, she’s a little purebred Shih Tzu, she’s really cute – that’s the problem.”
Thanks to some help from the community through the KJ’s Lost & Found Pet Finder Facebook page, it was determined a vehicle stopped to pick up the five-pound pup at around 9 a.m. Wednesday, but had yet to return Jemma to her owners as of Thursday evening.
“I guess she broke off the hold he tied and off she ran up that path. I guess that ends up on the street,” said Black. “He couldn’t move that fast to get up the hill.”
Having just picked up the new puppy, Black says she had yet to purchase identification tags for Jemma’s collar.
“That’s our mistake,” said Black. “We thought she was safe with our other dog.”
Some Hatters, like Sheryl Wolfer and Tina Regehr, initially rallied support and took to the streets in search of Jemma before a witness came forward saying they had seen someone get out of a beige vehicle to pick up the dog.
“The whole community started searching,” said Black. “We started talking to people and a young lady named Cheryl Wolfer, she started organizing people and she had people looking. She’s done more for us than anything … She’s helped me with phoning all the vets and getting people organized.”
While Black has concerns surrounding the whereabouts of her dog, especially given how long Jemma has been missing, Medicine Hat Police Service Const. Dustin Biggar says he believes this is nothing more than a case of a missing pup waiting to be returned to its owner.
“They were unsure if the dog got free or was potentially stolen,” said Biggar, adding he spoke with the person who witnessed Jemma being picked up and believes it will end happily. “It’s not stolen, in my opinion, or to my knowledge at this time. It’s just a found dog and no one has come forward with it to the SPCA or anything like that.”
Black says she is offering a reward for Jemma’s return. Anyone with information about the pup’s whereabouts can contact Lynn Black at 587-554-3473.
