Piston the stumpy-tailed blue cattle dog found near Mt Garnet
The Australian cattle dog missing since last week after being thrown from the cab of a truck when it crashed on the Kennedy Hwy.
Cairns
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Piston, the blue heeler missing since Thursday after being thrown from the cab of a truck when it crashed on the Kennedy Highway, has been found safe and well.
After two nights alone in remote scrubland west of Mount Garnet, Piston was found on Sunday, not too far from where his owner John Graham was injured on Thursday afternoon.
Mr Graham’s daughter Jenna Graham was overwhelmed with gratitude after the local community came together to find the missing dog.
“It was just amazing,” she said.
“There are just no words for our gratitude for this amazing community, ️we are floored and you will forever be remembered for your unbelievable generosity during such a difficult time for us.
“Luke and Nicole from Flat Rock Station have been amazing – they made sure to get dad’s shirt and hat from the crash on the night and put it down with food and water, and have been down there in the morning and at night every day and they also put a station camera up for him.
“We can’t thank you enough.
“Also Peter Carruthers from Cairns Post for the great article, Savannah in the Round who were just unbelievable sharing and offering us a full refund, which was completely unexpected.”
Ms Graham said she camped out near to where her old man’s Isuzu truck blew a tyre and hit a tree on the side of the Mulligan Highway in the hope Piston would recognise the caravan.
“He did come up to me and he was 10m away and I yelled out ‘he is here’ and he got scared and took off,” she said.
“But he just kept coming back to the intersection and kept checking.
“He seems perfectly healthy but he doesn’t understand why we are leaving without dad.
“(Thank you to) this entire amazing community who shared, commented and offered their assistance in so many ways, we are forever grateful.”
Mr Graham is now allowed in a wheelchair after undergoing surgery on Saturday morning however he remains in the intensive care unit.
“So we’re hoping once he’s transferred to a ward they will allow him downstairs to be reunited for a short visit,” Ms Graham said.
EARLIER:
Scared, confused and possibly injured, Piston the stumpy-tailed Australian cattle dog is missing in remote bushland after being involved in a truck crash on Thursday.
John Graham was flown to Cairns Hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries after crashing a white Isuzu truck at Gunnawarra, 120km southwest of Cairns.
Mr Graham remained stuck in the truck for a number of hours following the crash after his vehicle hit a tree.
At the time of the crash on Thursday afternoon efforts of emergency services focused on the injured truck driver and at the time it was not known that Piston was also travelling in the cab with his owner.
Daughter Jenna Graham said her dad was on the way to Savannah in the Round from the outback town of Boulia with Piston in the cab when the accident happened.
“He is a pet and keeps my dad company when he is working in remote areas, he is definitely a character,” she said.
“He understands what dad says and his speech comprehension is amazing.
“He has used up a lot of his luck so if we have a little more to get him home that would be great.”
On Thursday afternoon officers from the Mount Garnet Police Station searched an area of the highway on quad bikes with Johnny’s wife Tracey but could not locate Piston.
“(John’s) main concern is that he’s injured and probably scared,” she said.
“He usually sleeps in the bunk, he could have gone through the windscreen.”
Shaynon Bright has put the word out through local social media groups about the plight of the father in-law’s best mate.
“He’s possibly injured (and) will be very scared and confused,” she said.
“Family are out looking for him now.
“Piston was travelling through the area yesterday from Boulia, he is not a local dog to the area so it will be unfamiliar to him.”
Piston was last seen on the Kennedy Highway near the Ootan Road turn off, about 20km west of Mount Garnet.
If you have seen him, call Tracey on 0400 995 650.
On Friday morning Mr Graham was about to undergo surgery at Cairns Hospital.
Originally published as Piston the stumpy-tailed blue cattle dog found near Mt Garnet
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