Family's lost dogs last link to son

CLOVIS, N.M. (KRQE) - A New Mexico couple is on a mission to find two four-legged family members.

They say their dogs who went missing are their last real connection to their 12-year-old son who died in a car crash.

The Thomson family from Clovis is doing all they can to get their dogs back.

(UPDATE:  The dogs were located late Friday.  Details were not immediately available.)

Family members say Jacob Thomson and his schnauzers Paige and Bella were the best of friends.

"Every time I came over to the house, he was sitting on the corner seat of the couch holding Paige in his arm, and Bella would sit right next to him, but he was always holding Paige," family friend Tyler Saucier said.

"He was very close to them, and one of them was like a therapy dog to him," Jacob's mom, Mechelle Thomson, said.  "He had cystic fibrosis, and Paige, the silver schnauzer, always stayed close to Jacob."

The Thomson family lost Jacob in a car crash last December. Bella and Paige bolted out of the yard on Tuesday, and the family said they feel like they've lost a part of their son again.

"They always reminded us of Jacob, and we always knew it was like he was with us," Thomson explained.  "We felt like he was still there.  It's still a part of him."

Thomson said every day after work since Tuesday she and her family have been going around town posting flyers and hoping someone, somewhere will call them with good news.

Since Paige was always at Jacob's side, her presence has played a big role in the family's healing. Thomson said the dog's keen senses would let them know when Jacob wasn't feeling well.

"If she felt like something was going on, she'd kind of nudge him, and he would pet her," Thomson said.  "And if he stopped petting her, she would constantly nudge up against him, and she'd always want more love.

"I think that was just kind of her way of saying, 'Are you OK? I'm here for you.'"

The Thomsons said she's done the same for them since Jacob died. The dogs comfort Jacob's siblings, cuddling his spot on the couch.

Bringing the dogs home, Thomson said, would be like bringing part of Jacob home again.

"That is our mission, we have to find these dogs for our family to be complete," said Thomson.

The family is offering a cash reward for the safe return of Paige and Bella. Paige is a silver schnauzer, and Bella is a black-and-white miniature schnauzer.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts can call 575-749-1705 or 575-749-0946.