A Chilliwack woman is pleading for the return of eight missing puppies.
Kearston Burton-Weatherhead says the rare-breed Alapaha dogs are the last connection to her beloved sister Dainya, who died suddenly June 28. Within an hour or two of Dainya鈥檚 death, the litter of puppies was taken from the home she shared with two roommates.
Dainya was a dog breeder who loved what she did, and as her family copes with unimaginable grief, Kearston doesn鈥檛 feel she can lay her sister to rest until the dogs are found.
鈥淗er puppies were absolutely everything to her,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is the last thing that we have of my sister鈥檚 that she put her heart and soul into.鈥�
Kearston drove three-and-a-half hours to Kamloops last week, with lots of time to think about the theft and how it鈥檚 preventing her from processing her sister鈥檚 death.
She said she鈥檚 feeling angry because she can鈥檛 grieve.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 been able to sit down as a family because we鈥檝e had so much to deal with trying to find these puppies,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y poor parents are consumed with finding these dogs and laying their daughter to rest peacefully. I鈥檓 the type of person who makes sure everybody is OK first and I deal with myself later. I haven鈥檛 had a chance to fully wrap my head around the fact that I鈥檒l never see my sister again.鈥�
A black or dark grey 2000 Honda Odyssey minivan was seen speeding away from Dainya鈥檚 home around 6 a.m. on the morning she died (June 28), and that remains the best lead Kearston has.
She reported the theft to Kamloops RCMP, but she said the police have been 鈥渆xtremely uncooperative.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e given them all the information I鈥檝e received. I emailed and called for days and nobody got back to me until last night (July 4),鈥� Kearston said. 鈥淎nd pretty much what they told me is I鈥檓 out of luck.鈥�
Kearston is trying to remain optimistic, but more and more she鈥檚 feeling despair. She admits to feeling like she鈥檚 searching for eight needles in a giant haystack, but giving up is not an option.
鈥淚鈥檝e scoured Kamloops,鈥� she said, adding that she鈥檚 up at 6 a.m. every day to continue the search. 鈥淚鈥檝e sat out front of my sister鈥檚 home. I鈥檝e driven around showing pictures to people at gas stations. I鈥檝e gone to vet clinics and given out my phone number to as many people as I can, just in hopes that anything comes back that helps me find them.
鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e got the world on my shoulders right now and I can鈥檛 disappoint anybody because so many people are invested in helping us. I left my kids and husband and my animals to come up here and find these dogs, and I鈥檓 not willing to stop until they鈥檙e found.鈥�
It鈥檚 going to be difficult for the puppy thief(s) to move the dogs without being noticed. Kearston is keeping a close eye on Kijiji, Craigslist, Facebook and other online platforms.
鈥淭his is such a rare breed that it鈥檚 not going to go unnoticed if you advertise that you have them,鈥� she said.
A cash reward is being offered for the safe return of the puppies, and while Kearston would love to have accountability for whoever took them, she鈥檒l accept just getting them back, no questions asked.
鈥淒rop them off at the SPCA, the police department, the fire department, anywhere,鈥� she said. 鈥淧lease just give them back. It鈥檚 not about what they鈥檙e worth. It鈥檚 about having my sister鈥檚 babies home.鈥�
Anyone with tips can phone Kearston at 604-378-2303 or find her on Facebook by searching Kearston Burton-Weatherhead.
eric.welsh@hopestandard.com
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