Okanagan owners of missing dogs join forces

WEST KELOWNA – An Okanagan woman, whose dog went missing almost a month ago,  is hoping to motivate members of the public to act when they see a dog wandering around on its own.

“Dogs are not strays in the Okanagan, or in B.C., they have families and they need to be reunited with them,” says Lori Welbourne.

The West Kelowna woman’s dog went missing from the family’s Glenrosa neighborhood on March 23.  Charlie is a five-and-a half-year old cockapoo.

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“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t cry,” says Welbourne.

Welbourne and her family have gone to extreme measures to try and find Charlie.  They search for him every day and even put up highway signs in hopes of bring the pooch home.

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On Sunday, Welbourne held a collaborative search not only for Charlie but for other dogs missing in West Kelowna.

“It’s very stressful, and you are always looking, everywhere you drive you are scanning the hills, you’re always, always looking, ” says Kelly Morris whose sheltie, named Lumen, went missing about five weeks ago from West Kelowna’s  Kalamoir Park.

Welbourne printed pamphlets with pictures of a handful of missing dogs.  The group split up into teams and went door-to-door handing out the pamphlets hoping the public keeps an eye out for the missing animals.

Sunday’s search, however, also served another purpose.  Welbourne wants to raise awareness about what a person should do if they spot a dog wandering around by itself.

“Think of it as a toddler who is alone without their parent and try and help that dog , see if they have a number on their collar and call the owner, if they don’t, call dog control,” she says.

While Welbourne doesn’t know what has happened to Charlie, she’s not giving up hope.

“I feel he’s alive, I feel it in my heart,” says Welbourne.