Three weeks missing: Dog Maggie found and returned to Hastings home

Maggie, reunited with her owner Chris after she was missing for three weeks. Photo / Warren Buckland

Three weeks after fleeing from an attacking dog in Pakowhai dog park, Maggie has been found and returned safely to her Hastings home.

The 12-year-old rough-coated Jack Russell terrier had been walking in the park with Chris, who lives alone and did not want her full name published for privacy reasons, on November 16 when a bigger dog attacked her.

She ran away, sparking a three-week search which finally came to an end on Wednesday with the help of one of the many members of the public who had reached out to assist Chris with finding Maggie.

Chris said a man who lives off St Georges Rd, more than 5km from where Maggie ran away and nearly 7km from home, sighted Maggie a week ago and contacted her.

“I went down there on two or three occasions and just sat there, called her, whistled and all that sort of thing.”

She said the man finally rang on Wednesday morning to tell her he had managed to catch Maggie in a shed.

“She is home, nice and shampooed and smelling sweet again.”

She said Maggie had lost a fair amount of weight, but she was otherwise healthy.

“She is in good order and she is very, very happy to be home.”

Owner Chris and Donna Guthrie, who helped spread the word on social media, both thanked the public for their tremendous support in the search. Photo / Warren Buckland

She said the support from the public has been amazing.

“People have been absolutely amazing and I am just so grateful to all of them too, they have been so kind,” Chris said.

“It is a really happy outcome, I am very pleased and Maggie is just pleased to be home.”

Donna Guthrie, a moderator on the ‘Hawkes Bay missing/lost and found animals’ Facebook page, said the response from the public had been tremendous.

She thanked the public and expert tracker Don Schwass, who advised Chris and Guthrie during the search.