- Video shows Fernando Castellanos sharing hope that his dog, Bigotes, will one day come home.
- Bigotes has been part of their family for six years. He was last seen near Snyder and F Street in Tehachapi on Sept. 23.
- He is a small Shih Tzu and Pomeranian mix with grey and white coloring, weighing approximately 12 pounds.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Castellanos family has been without their dog, Bigotes, since September. Since they last saw him this fall, they have not lost hope that he will one day come home. The community hasn't either.
"He was a very calm dog with just–he was full of energy…full of love," Fernando Castellanos said.
Bigotes was last seen on Sept. 23. It was a nice day, and the family let him spend some time in the yard since they did not plan to be out for long.
But, he got out through a small hole in their fence. He came around to the front of the house, and at first, Fernando said they could speak to him through their Ring camera, trying to keep him there until they could get back.
That emptiness is still there, you know, six years is a long time to have a companion in your family.
"For a brief moment there, we lost connection. Later, when we finally got the connection back, a woman–somewhere nearby, a neighbor—said that they saw the dog and they try to help out and grab him," Castellanos said. "He was very frightful of other people since he was very attached to us, so she ended up making him run."
The last confirmed sighting of him was near Snyder and F Street.
"We stood out that night until about 1:00 in the morning just looking for him, following hints and what people were messaging us of where he was last seen…and he was just never seen again," Castellanos said.
Since that late September day, Fernando has not given up hope that his dog will come home. He posts in Tehachapi Facebook groups to spread the word.
"I appreciate all of you still out there keeping him in your hearts as well. We're just gonna keep searching…we're just gonna keep searching," said Castellanos. "There won't be a day that he will not be in our hearts."
While the community has rallied around the family to keep the hope alive, with every day that passes, especially big milestones like the start of a new year, it gets harder.
"That emptiness is still there, you know, six years is a long time to have a companion in your family," Castellanos said.
Fernando says anyone with information on Bigotes' location can contact the family either through Facebook or by calling (661) 992-5773. A reward for information is also being offering by the family.
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