Missing pet: Jack the maltese Terrier fled from his Palm Beach Airbnb during a storm and hasn't been seen since

A Gold Coast resident is so desperate to find his missing maltese terrier that he has more than doubled his reward. 

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A NEW Gold Coast resident is desperately searching for his Maltese terrier that escaped an Airbnb property nearly two weeks ago.

Aaron Riley checked into the property on Laguna Ave, Palm Beach on May 10 after arriving from Mildura, Victoria.

He said a storm hit that night and a strong wind blew away a piece of Perspex that was covering gaps in the gate, allowing the dog to escape.

Mr Riley said he and his housemate hit the pavement that night for nearly two hours searching for Jack.

Aaron Riley with his dog Will, after his eight-year-old Maltese terrier Jack ( Will's brother) went missing. Picture: Tertius Pickard

“In the morning I called the Central Animal Registry to update his microchip and he has been flagged as missing,” Mr Riley said.

“We canvassed the local area and all adjoining streets and avenues within a 5km radius.

“I’ve done 400 letterbox drops and put up 200 flyers.

“Jack’s desexed and microchipped but he wasn’t wearing a collar. He only has the top two and bottom two teeth, so he’s very distinct in that regard.”

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Mr Riley has increased his reward from $1000 to $2500 for the safe return of Jack whose loss is having a great impact on his companion and “brother” Will.

“He’s not coping very well with it. We rescued them together seven years ago and they’ve never been separated.

“I think someone has found him and is keeping him because I’ve seen other dogs that went missing after Jack have been found safe.”

Aaron Riley is still desperately searching for his eight-year-old Maltese terrier Jack who went missing from Palm Beach on May 10 during a storm. Picture: Supplied.

There’s only been one sighting of Jack about 5.30am on May 11 at Laguna Park . Mr Riley said he believed a white tradie van and a silver hatchback stopped and tried to catch Jack.

“I would be very interested to hear from either of those who tried to help Jack.”

Anyone with information about Jack can phone Aaron Riley on 0411 609 434.

'I was only gone half an hour'

May 13, 2019

A GOLD Coast mother has hired a pet detective to investigate after her pooch went missing from her backyard, the third to do so within a week in the area.

Chilli the chihuahua is the third dog to have gone missing around the Upper Coomera area after a pomeranian went missing, as well as a dachshund called Buddy from Pimpama.

Chilli’s owner Alana Gray said she was desperate to have her 1.4kg pooch back after she disappeared from her Amaranth Crescent backyard on Saturday.

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Chilli the missing chi. Picture: supplied

“I spent all (Mother’s Day) crying, I can’t even think about it,” she said.

“I can’t have any more kids so she was my other child. We’re just baffled. I just really want her to come home, I just hope someone has found her.”

She said Chilli had been wearing her white and blue striped day jumper because it was a little chilly outside when she returned home around 1pm and let them out in the yard for a toilet break.

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“I don’t usually leave them out, but they were lying out in the sun together and I was only going to be gone half an hour,” she said.

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Chilli the chihuahua has been missing since Saturday. Picture: supplied

“But my partner couldn’t see her when they came back home at 3.15pm.”

Ms Gray said it was her daughter’s birthday next week and she was upset Chilli hadn’t been found yet.

Ms Gray said Chilli hadn’t escaped from the yard before and she wasn’t ruling out that her beloved pet had been stolen.

“If someone has found her, just do the right thing (and bring her back),” Ms Gray said.

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Pet detective Kirilly Cull of Missing and Stolen Pets Queensland, who Ms Gray has hired to help search for Chilli, said they were conducting a search around the area tonight to find the chihuahua.

She said dogs were sometimes more comfortable moving around at night because it was quieter.

Ms Cull said there was no sign of struggle or digging around the fencing.

“The biggest thing is accidents happen, but give lost pets back, they’re not yours to keep,” she said.

She also warned that there appeared to be a spate of staffy-related thefts.

Chilli is a black chihuahua with tan points and white markings. She has a protruding bottom lip and her teeth sometimes catch on her top lip.

She is spayed and still has a scar where the incision was made.

Amanda Robbemond