A painstaking search is being carried out for a beloved family dog who went missing in the Mount Seymour region two weeks ago.
Callie, a tan pit bull terrier and German shepherd cross, was last seen outside the washrooms at Mt Seymour ski resort around 10 a.m. Jan. 29.
“I stepped away for a few minutes. Callie was with friends, got excited, then spooked, and her leash was dropped,” said her owner, Samantha Jung.
“She took off running through the parking lots and disappeared down a steep and snowy embankment beside the P5 parking lot, possibly heading west down the mountain.”
Since then, Jung has gone to great lengths to locate Callie: taking time off work, staying in temporary accommodation in North Vancouver, going on extensive search trips, searching via thermal drone and even chartering a helicopter.
She said the past two weeks have been “unbearably quiet and agonizing” without the two-and-a-half-year-old companion she calls family.
“Callie is playful, adventurous, and mischievous. She’s my adventure friend, my workplace buddy, and has played a huge part in connecting me with other dog lovers and newfound friends,” she said.
An initial plea on social media has since evolved into a community rallying together to help bring Callie home, and Jung said she is “humbled by the kindness” shown by North Shore locals and the wider community.
A Facebook page Bring Callie girl home, dedicated to updates on the search, has already amassed over 250 followers and an outpouring of support from locals, while a GoFundMe fundraising page created by a friend has garnered $4,000 in donations.
“Strangers have become friends. There has been an outpouring of local and international support," said Jung.
"Many people have explored the trails at all hours, spoken to others to spread the word, donated their time and money, and printed and put up posters in the North Shore communities. So many people know about Callie and are helping to find her in any way they can."
North Shore Rescue, whose search via drone last week proved unsuccessful, are advising those assisting in the search to be mindful of their own safety and whereabouts.
“We do have concerns that dog owners could get injured or get lost themselves searching for the dog,” said North Shore Rescue volunteer John Blown.
“We recommend staying on the trails and being prepared for conditions, as well as always telling someone where you are going and when to expect you back. We do not recommend going off trail or into steep dangerous terrain,” he said.
Blown said if Callie is found in a difficult location, he recommends contacting the local police non-emergency line, who in turn may be able to activate SAR or the fire department to assist.
Simon Whitehead, marketing manager at Mt Seymour, said staff are actively trying to assist in the search and have placed posters around the resort – but efforts so far have been unfruitful.
“We hope that the dog can be reunited with its owner and, until we hear otherwise, we will continue to be on the lookout,” he said.
Anyone who thinks they may have seen Callie, who was wearing a black and pink coat, a red and gold collar, and a pink leash when she went missing, is advised to call Jung at 604-318-0643 with a detailed description of the sighting.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
