A therapy dog with the city of Pharr’s Public Safety and Communications Department has gone missing, and the city is seeking the public’s help in getting her back safely.
Bella, a 1-year-old black and gold Belgian Malinois, was last seen Monday morning at Miraflores Street, near FH 493 and FM 2812, in Edcouch. At the time, she was wearing a prong collar and a white bandana with orange polka dots.
“We have two therapy dogs. We have Ammo, who is part of the police department, and Bella, who is part of the public safety department — the 9-11 dispatch center,” Pharr Public Information Officer Yuri Gonzalez said Wednesday. “We don’t have a reward, but we are trying to get Bella back to dispatch.”
The therapy dog has been with the Public Safety and Communications Department for three months. While completing her therapy dog training, Bella was commonly seen in and around the 9-11 dispatch center as well as community events.
She was with her handler, who lives in Edcouch, when she went missing.
“Our main focus is getting Bella back to our premises,” Gonzalez said. “She’s a huge asset to the department. She really helps dispatchers with anxiety and stress. As you know, we have a really high volume of calls, and Bella is a very comforting dog.”
According to Gonzalez, Bella was among the resources sent to Uvalde in the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in which 19 children and two adults were killed.
Other details about the disappearance of the beloved pooch were not shared.
“We want to make sure that the message is, ‘Help us find Bella,’” Gonzalez said when asked about the details leading up to Bella going missing. “We don’t want to detour the story. I think the bigger picture is that we need her back here on premises because she’s a great help.
“We’re devastated,” she continued. “Our team spends a lot of hours taking a lot of calls, and Bella is always around. We’re all just trying to get some tips.”
Anyone with any knowledge or information about Bella’s whereabouts is asked to call or send a text to (956) 638-4847 or (956) 402-4700.
