Coonabarabran couple make an 18 hour drive after missing dog Nova discovered in NQ

A couple has driven 1660km to be reunited with their husky Nova, who was stolen from a country town service station. Here’s how they tracked her down.

A NSW couple have made the exhausting 18-hour drive from Coonabarabran to Townsville after their missing dog was discovered in Townsville

Martin Geyer and Daniel Loader’s dog Nova escaped their yard on Friday, January 3, after jumping over the fence with the help of a tyre.

An hour later, Nova was spotted running around at a Shell petrol station in Coonabarabran, in regional NSW, before she was picked up in a car bound for Townsville. The incident was reported to NSW police.

“We live in a town where everybody knows everybody, so we started getting phone calls saying that she’d been picked up,” Mr Geyer said.

“Locals told us the male occupant grabbed a rope from their car, threw it around Nova, then they threw her on the back seat and quickly drove off.”

Coonabarabran husky Nova has been found in Townsville.

Nova’s kidnapping sparked what would turn into a week of long searches and sleepless nights for the couple.

“We did not sleep, we were getting to bed at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning. It was a horrible experience,” Mr Geyer said.

“We were absolutely gutted that we couldn’t find her.”

With the help of police, the couple learned the car was registered to a Townsville address.

Mr Geyer was quick to call for help on multiple Townsville Facebook groups, with the post going viral in North Queensland.

A week later, the pair received a call from Wulguru Vet with good news – a member of the public had handed Nova in.

“We were in tears, I’m still shaking,” Mr Geyer said.

Regional NSW couple Daniel Loader and Martin Geyer were reunited with stolen dog Nova after a 22 hour journey to Townsville. Picture: Holly Fishlock.

But the pair still had the challenge of bringing Nova home.

After having no luck with pet transport companies, they made the decision to drive north.

The pair drove 18 hours through the night and were reunited with Nova on Saturday morning.

Mr Loader said it was a “surreal” experience.

“It was incredible and really emotional,” he said.

“If it wasn’t for Wulguru Vet tracking down (a vet in) NSW to get the microchip details, we might not have found her.

“We’re a gay couple, we don’t have children, our dogs are our children.

“Can you imagine if a child was taken from you? That’s the effect it had on us.”

Despite the major distress caused by the incident, the couple said they hold no “ill feelings” for those who stole Nova.

“When the police catch up with them, that’ll be for the law to decide, but personally we don’t hold a grudge,” Mr Geyer said.

“We just think they made a silly decision, but that decision has really disrupted our lives.

“If we walk away with hate for them, that’s not who we are.”

The pair said they might not have got their dog back without help from social media.

Daniel Loader is reunited with stolen husky Nova after an exhausting 18 hour drive.

“The Facebook community really pulled us through and really gave us hope,” Mr Loader said.

“On the drive up we were getting phone calls from people from Western Australia and South Australia asking if we’ve got our dog back.”

“The woman who found Nova and took her to the vet, we can’t thank her enough.”

The couple will stay in Townsville until Tuesday morning, soaking up all the region has to offer.

“We’re in awe, Townsville is a beautiful place. The location is stunning.”

Originally published as Coonabarabran couple make an 18 hour drive after missing dog Nova discovered in NQ