$1,000 Reward for Missing Oregon Service Dog

It's time for Monito-o to come home...

Write to joy.m.graves@gmail.com

(COTTAGE GROVE) - An Oregon woman is trying desperately to locate her missing service dog.

Joy Graves

Joy Graves says Monito-o has been missing 17 days now. He is a companion and has a role beyond that of a family pet, though he is very much part of her family.

"He is my Mobility Service Dog, registered with the US government. My Father instructed me to get him before he died as security for my family."

She has been using Craigslist sites from Mexico to Canada, all along the I-5, and also in eastern Oregon and the on the Oregon coast.

"I have contacted every shelter and vet, pound. I have followed up on every possibility of lost dog posted on the craigslist and online randomly."

Click for a full-size printable version.

Graves says she has contacted ODOT and even had the police out looking for him here as well as the surrounding cities.

She is serious about recovering Monito-o.

"I want to offer a $1,000.00 Reward - No Questions Asked. It's not like he is a pocket or purse dog - he is a huge orange and white male Saint Bernard, more noticeable than a road construction barricade - there is NO Way or Excuse for him to be unseen by SOMEONE by now," Graves added.

Monito-o disappeared from a latched closed AKC kennel from Graves' back yard, in broad daylight. She says his collar was Left in the middle of his kennel, and the other dogs also in kennel in the same area were still here.

Graves has been advised that the dog may have been stolen due to his bloodline, but there is a problem in this case; Monito-o has serious internal health issues and he is in danger for every moment he is away from where he belongs.

He isn't breeding material due to those health issues, so the best thing is for the party that has the dog, to contact Joy Graves and get the reward. Just keeping Monito-o healthy has been an ongoing, expensive effort, Graves said.

"He cost the family a lot because he is a government registered physical mobility service animal, which are not cheap, and we're still paying the thousands for the emergency surgery last winter to save his life - the vet says it's a miracle he is even alive because of all the internal damage he sustained due to his genetic issues - we want and need him back for his own good as well as ours, as speedily and safely as possible."

Joy Graves has been an activist for "the little guy" for almost two decades, much of her outreach involves US veterans and other issues as well - now I need the communities help.

"SOMEONE has Got to know something - he is too big to remain hidden from all the world, and maybe someone needs the money to get them motivated to do the right thing and help me get him home."

Graves says this leaves her with a heavy heart, "I want my dog back, or if something's happened to him, I want to know and see him for myself - it's NOT too much to ask. He is not just a 'pet' he is my literal life force..."

So, if you happen to have possession of Monito-o, for whatever reason, this is your chance to receive a thousand dollar reward, perhaps the dog just ended up in your hands, it doesn't matter as this is an offer with no strings attached, no questions asked.

Please write to Joy Graves at Write to joy.m.graves@gmail.com. Joy is an Oregon-based Salem-News.com writer. It will be a wonderful thing to help her in this quest to reunite with Monito-o, it is the best thing for all parties, particularly now that the story and Monito-o's photographs are now permanently displayed online.

It isn't every day that a pet owner offers this large of a reward, it is important that she recovers her missing service dog, thank you.