A beloved family pet has been found dead inside a stolen vehicle, bringing a heartbreaking end to a week-long search that captivated a Brisbane community.
A Devastating Discovery
The search for eight-year-old German Shepherd Arnie concluded tragically over the weekend after a member of the public located the missing black Toyota HiLux parked on Amelia Street in Fortitude Valley. Arnie was found deceased inside the vehicle's canopy where he had been sleeping when the ute was stolen.
Nathan McKeown had taken Arnie with him when he visited friends in Wynnum, in Brisbane's east, in the early hours of November 8. Because his friend's Kelpie didn't get along with Arnie, he made the fateful decision to leave his dog in the back of his ute with some water while he visited inside.
The Desperate Search for Arnie
When Mr McKeown went to leave several hours later, between 1.30am and 5am from Davidson Street, both his vehicle and his faithful companion were gone. "I went and met one of my mates, he picked me up, we drove around looking up streets, checking car parks seeing if it had been abandoned," the father-of-one recounted last week.
The McKeown family launched an extensive community campaign to find their pet, issuing countless online appeals and even offering a $6000 reward for Arnie's safe return. "Please just return our dog, you can keep the ute, we don't need the ute, we just want our pet back," Mr McKeown had pleaded during the search.
The couple drove around frantically, calling vets and local pounds, and even hired a pet detective to aid in their efforts. Queensland Police confirmed they had followed numerous reported sightings across the Brisbane region and surrounding districts, though none led to the dog's recovery.
A Family's Heartbreak
In a heartbreaking online post, the family confirmed the tragic outcome on Tuesday: "Unfortunately there isn't a better outcome and Arnie was found... deceased, still in the back of the ute that was stolen. We are beyond devastated. He didn't deserve to go like this!!"
Arnie had been a cherished member of the McKeown family, which includes Nathan's wife Louise and their five-year-old daughter. Louise shared a special bond with the German Shepherd, revealing, "He knew I was pregnant before I did. We've been through a lot with him... He's very special. He's a big dog, but he's a big friendly giant."
Detective Senior Sergeant Christopher Lafferty expressed the collective sorrow, stating, "We hadn't given up hope of finding Arnie and being able to reunite him with his family. Investigators are devastated by this discovery and our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time."
Queensland Police continue their investigation into the vehicle theft and are reviewing all available CCTV footage and leads. Officers have urged anyone with unreported information or vision to come forward as they work to identify and locate the offender responsible for this tragic outcome.
