Missing hunter’s dog located, sparking hope for search continuation

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A dog belonging to a hunter reported missing in mid-October has been found, a long way from home and a long way from where he was last seen.

According to Micaela Sawyer, the partner of missing hunter Jim Barnes, a golden retriever found near Wonowon on November 28th has been identified as Barnes’ dog Murphy.

Murphy and Barnes were reported missing on October 18th after he went out hunting in the Chetwynd area.

Search and Rescue efforts were launched over the course of the following week, but were later paused while police officers gathered more information about the case.

According to a Facebook post from Sawyer, it was difficult to identify Murphy due to his condition after spending weeks outdoors.

“He is badly injured, with major swelling, puncture wounds (possibly from a dog or coyote), a broken front paw, and scabs all over,” Sawyer says.

“His behavior has changed too, from a quiet, independent dog to one who barks at every sound and howls when I leave the room.”

Sawyer says Murphy’s identity was eventually confirmed with help from “professionals who know him well.”

“It’s been a heartbreaking journey, and while we wish Murphy could share his story, we fear we couldn’t bear to hear it,” she says. “He’s such a sweet boy, and he didn’t deserve any of this, nor did Jim.”

According to Sawyer, RCMP officers have been contacted so they can perform DNA testing, although the results of those tests could take weeks to arrive.

She says she hopes to find a quicker way to confirm the results so that Search and Rescue efforts for Barnes can resume.