GIANINA SCHWANECKE
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He’s prompted hundreds of South Wairarapa residents to hunt for him, and even been the subject of a search by a sniffer dog, but the search is still on for missing Greytown cocker spaniel Neo.
The 13-year-old canine disappeared from a property on Wards Line late last Tuesday after being put out briefly for his nightly wee with two other dogs.
Since then his owners Phil and Karen Cox have been combing their neighbours’ properties in the hopes of finding him.
On Monday, they asked their friend Peter Gifford, who helps train sniffer dogs, to try and find a scent using one of Neo’s pillows.
They didn’t find any signs of Neo nearby, but it was good practice for Coda, who is being trained as a rescue dog.
Neo has been known to sporadically wander over the road to the neighbour’s every six or seven months, but both say it’s “totally out of character” for him to have been gone so long.
“He’s a very typical cocker. He loves his home comforts and his food,” Karen said.
Neo had been with them since he was a puppy, but he had always been an “old dog”, she said.
“He’s the age he always wanted to be.”
His age means he is totally deaf and needs daily medication, adding to the Cox’s concerns.
On Thursday, a volunteer from dog search group Missing K9 Response, based in Wellington, came out to help with the search.
Karen said she was overwhelmed by support from the community.
“I just can’t believe the community that’s pulling together over a little black dog.
“We miss him desperately and want him home again on the sofa.”
She asked that anyone with information get in touch with dog control or via the Facebook group they’ve set up: Where is Neo?
