Halton Regional Police Service is investigating a potential dog napping in Milton.
An eight-month-old bulldog mix was stolen from an Equestrian Farm on No 1 Side Road Friday afternoon after a black van was seen leaving the farm around the same time the puppy went missing.
“We were led to believe that there could be a connection between the van and the disappearance of the dog so we’ve opened an investigation for quite possibly the theft of the dog,” Staff-Sgt. Jeff Foster said.
The puppy, lovingly named Maisie, belonged to one of the farm hands at Iron Horse Equestrian Complex.
“I can’t think of how someone would do something like this,” added owner Chris Hazineh, who along with his friend Jenna Careio, has been searching for the dog.
That’s my baby girl, you know, she’s like my child. I would do anything to get her back. She means the world to me.”
The black van was pegged as being out of place because this road is a dead-end and the people who come to and from the farm are usually employees or customers.
More than 30 people have been on the lookout for the dog; even a professional tracker is lending a helping hand. There are no signs the puppy was attacked by a wild animal and no one has seen any tracks in the snow or mud.
“There’s a lot of biking trails out the back,” said Caerio, who also works at the farm. “We walked all of the way to the 407. I drove all the way to the neighboring farm asking questions. People brought their dogs to see if the dogs would pick up on the scent.”
Maisie was much more than just a dog to Hazineh.
He got the puppy to help him cope following a traumatic experience back in March of 2018 when he was crushed by a horse. After two hip surgeries and months of bed rest, Hazineh found fulfillment and companionship while training the dog.
“I was just coming off an injury and I was really depressed at the time and you know through bonding with her and training with her and spending everyday with her she really did become my best friend.”
“She’s been there for me since the day I brought her home,” said Hazineh.
Anyone with information about the dog is being asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.