Gabbin farmers want answers after beloved farm dog goes missing

Beverly and Barry Harrap have been left heartbroken and looking for answers after their red cloud kelpie vanished from their North Gabbin farm — supposedly stolen. Seven-year-old Megsy, who was last seen in the house yard and was suffering from a sore leg, disappeared on the evening of August 24 while both the Harraps were home. “That’s the hard part of it, that she was here, and we were here. It wasn’t like we were away,” Ms Harrap said. “She just disappeared into thin air. There was no noise, apart from a small whimper.” Ms Harrap said she found vomit on the front lawn where Megsy was before and when she and her husband realised their dog was not near the house, they walked around the property calling out for her. They also searched up and down the main road nearby, which is walking distance from their home. Ms Harrap said it was out of character for Megsy to up and leave, especially because of her sore leg, which would have prevented her from being able to walk far or crawl through the fence that lined the road. Ms Harrup said if Megsy was stolen, it was most likely either for fighting or breeding, the latter of which would not be possible because of the dog’s age and a past emergency caesarean. Ms Harrap said she had been left “really, really angry” and called on anyone who may know where Megsy is to “have a heart”. “Think about your mother and father who had their growing old dog taken off of them. How do you think they’d feel? How would you like to have a part of your family snatched away from you? “She (Megsy) is Barry’s companion, she goes everywhere with him. She’s the first one in any vehicle door that’s open, and no one else can get in ... she’s always here.” Gabbin is a small Wheatbelt town about 260km north-east of Perth. Ms Harrap said she was aware of a handful of other recent incidents including a kelpie vanishing from a Merredin property, only to “miraculously” appear in town a couple days later, and two border collies that went missing in the Katanning area. However, the exact number of farm dog thefts is hard to determine as incidences can go unreported and because the reason for their disappearance can remain a mystery if they are never found again. Ms Harrap said they had surveillance on another property they owned because of recent fuel and infrastructure thefts, but now they are considering expanding security to their Gabbin farm. “There’s just too much stuff disappearing off farms, dogs included,” she said. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Harraps on 0427 846 028 or 0428 846 072.