Tucker, shih tzu-American Eskimo

Man’s search for beloved pet pays off
Crystal Rhyno - Herald-Tribune staff

Six weeks after his dog Tucker went missing, a Bonanza-area man’s relentless search ended Monday when a man returned Tucker and claimed a $10,000 reward.

The Bonanza resident who put up an astounding $10,000 reward for his missing pooch was reunited with his dog, Tucker, Monday afternoon.

Lance Hingley, 54, said he got his life back when Tucker jumped into his arms after he handed over the reward to the man whom he believes snatched his 15-month-old dog.

“I am so happy,” he said. “When I put that reward up of $10,000, I said it would be anonymous. I am not going to give the man’s name out. He’s going to have to live with that.”

Two days before Christmas, the miniature Shi Tzu-American Eskimo went missing near Dawson Creek, B.C., when Hingley, a bulk fuel agent, had stopped for a quick bite to eat.

Since losing his beloved pet, Hingley launched a mind-boggling search and rescue quest, including creating a missing dog website and Facebook groups, to track down his abducted dog.

Missing dog posters were plastered all over the B.C. interior, from Kamloops to the Peace Country.

“I just wanted my dog back,” said Hingley, who travels quite frequently with his work.

On Jan.30, he was in Kamloops putting up posters when he received a tip from a caller.

The caller said he had Tucker. Hingley said the caller described Tucker to a “T” so Hingley got his hopes up. When he asked where the caller was, the line went dead.

Hingley redialed the number from his call display on his phone but the number came up private.

Through a little detective work, including some research on the Internet, Hingley learned the call originated from a phone booth at an Esso station in Peace River.

Monday morning, Hingley headed to Peace River and plastered the small town with more posters.
At 11:40 a.m., he received another call from the same man.

“I said, ‘hey buddy, you don’t hang up this phone. You need to talk to me.’ ”

Hingley told the man Tucker was one of his kids and he wanted his dog back. The man agreed to hand over the dog for the reward. They met a few hours later at the Dunvegan Inn in Fairview.

“I gave him the money and I took my dog,” said Hingley, who estimates he spent up to $25,000 in the search for Tucker.

“He told me he had been sleeping at the weigh scales and woke up to a dog whining. He opened the door and it was Tucker.”

Hingley said Tucker had jumped in the man’s truck because the temperatures were hovering below -40C. The man told Hingley he thought the dog was abandoned.

“His excuse was someone was not looking after him so he kept him but finally returned him for the money.”
Hingley said he will not call the police.

“I am a man of my word and I got what I wanted,” said Hingley. “He needs to sleep at night. That’s up to him.”

Hingley hopes the dog napper will donate half of the reward to SPCA in Tucker’s name.

Source: http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1420059
Another version of the story at:

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/2009/02/03/pf-8253866.html