$5,000 REWARDfor information leading to Luca's return

Update: We have hired Pipkin Detective Agency to assist in our search. If you would like to share confidential information regarding Luca's whereabouts,please call (877) 730-3532. Our $5,000 reward remains active and eligible for confidential tips. All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.

Luca, a tri-color mini Australian Shepherd with bright blue eyes, resting on a couch
Missing since June 21

Bring Luca home.

Our sweet boy was lost near Laguna Seca Golf Course in Monterey. If you see him:DON'T CHASE. TAKE A PHOTO. CALL US RIGHT AWAY.

(408) 621-2728(877) 730-3532confidential line
LATEST UPDATE · JULY 29, 2026

No confirmed sightings. Talking to agricultural workers in Salinas. Expanding awareness farther.

WE NEED PHOTOS. For the new few days, we are focused on: 1️⃣Talking to Salinas farm workers directly. A friend told me her Aussie got spooked, ran 10 miles away and was found hiding in the vineyards. The irrigation system and farm worker's food kept him alive. She found her dog only by talking to the workers, who said they've seen the dog there for a week. Many people are not on social media, and might not know Luca was lost. Everyone we've met so far has been kind and generous, wanting to help. 2️⃣Continue spreading awareness + posting flyers in Salinas, Watsonville, and Prunedale. Awareness in these outer cities is still very low. 3️⃣Investigating San Benancio and Corral de Tierra more deeply. Then if we have time, canvassing King's City, Greenfield, Soledad areas. ➕We also spent the last 2 weeks giving Fort Ord a good shake. After talking to BLM (non-Army land) and Fort Ord Clean up (Army land), it feels less likely a domestic dog would want to hunker down here. There are lakes, but the land is harsh and food won't be easy to find vs. human areas. BLM says they've seen maybe 1 loose dog a year. Cleanup has never seen loose dogs on their security cameras. REQUESTS FOR HELP: 1. If you can speak Spanish and would be open to help us reach out to the agricultural community, please let me know! 2. If you have creative ideas on what else we can do, please share!

Be brave. Be strong. Be courageous.

Mom & Dad love you so much. We are looking for you. 
Follow the golden thread back to us.

This world is not a scary place. 
There are many kind people that want to help you come home.

Take the first step. Have faith.

Come home soon my Jujubee.

About Luca

Breed
Mini Australian Shepherd
AGE & WEIGHT
3 years, 40 lbs
Coat
Copper / grey / white / tan
Eye Color
Blue
Tail?
No tail
Microchipped?
Yes
Wearing collar when lost?
No
Last Seen
June 26 · Laguna Seca Golf Course, Hole 2–4

Luca is sweet but shy. He is generally skiddish, and does not like to approach strangers. Especially now, he may run if you call or try to approach.

What Happened?

Chris Cerney (Instagram)

On June 21, we were visiting from San Francisco for Father's Day, and dropped Luca off at a new dog sitter in Monterey for a 1-night stay. No one else was available to take care of Luca. Luca was visibly nervous, but he's been at other boarding homes and settles in eventually.

Yet within 10 minutes of drop off — Luca got scared and managed to run away since the house does not have a fenced yard. The sitter also panicked and chased after Luca, which made him even more terrified. Everything happened in a split second. (We saw this on the Ring camera).

This search has been very difficult because Luca does not know how to come home. He does not know Monterey. Because of how he ran away, he is in deep fear and flight mode, hiding even from mom and dad's voices.

Luca hasn't returned to the sitter's house or "last place of separation" (where dog rescue techniques typically go) because he's likely avoiding it due to trauma.

We should have put our AirTag collar on him. Our other dog boarding doesn't allow collars, so we wrongly assumed it would be ok. We regret this every day.

Lastly, we are not pointing fingers right now. The dog sitters have been very sorry, and helping us as much as possible.

All of us are focused on getting Luca back.

Everything We've Done

Note: We cannot fly drones in Laguna Seca / Pasadera. This area is in a strict FAA no-fly zone near Monterey Regional Airport because it is directly under the flight path. Our request for a special permit was denied. This has significantly hampered our search.

  • Drones are only allowed at 100ft in certain areas in Fort Ord, south of HW68, and east of the Racetrack.

Only 3 search dogs handlers service all of California (crazy, I know). We are in contact with them, but they need a more recent sighting to be effective.

All leads exhausted, no confirmed sightings since June 26.

  • Nextdoor, PawBoost, and local Facebook groups
  • Hung stinky clothes at (1) the sitter's house / last location before separation and (2) along the golf course where he was seen
  • 24/7 stakeouts during the daytime heat and cold nights at both the original location and the golf course
  • Flyers across a 20-mile radius (Monterey, Salinas, Seaside, Carmel, Fort Ord, PB, PG, Prunedale, Castroville) and local events (farmer's markets, garage sales)
  • 5 trail cameras around the neighborhood and golf course
  • Hiked all corners of York Hills, Laguna Seca, Pasadera, S Boundary, Chamisol
  • Explored gutters, backyard fences, small caves, game trails, and walked animal chutes
  • Thermal drone in Calera Canyon and saw nothing
  • Contacted every shelter and vet in the area
  • HomeAgain microchip alerts sent to all local shelters/vets
  • Door-to-door with neighbors in York Hills / Pasadera
  • Scent lures (BBQ bacon, liquid smoke) at 11 PM and 4 AM
  • Coordinated with Laguna Seca and Pasadera management and grounds staff
  • Animal Control, SPCA, CHP, and CalTrans are all aware of the case
  • Contacted hotels/motels, vets, dog groomers, and pet stores in a 15-mile radius
  • Filed police reports with Monterey, San Francisco, and San Jose

Thank you to everyone who has shared, searched, and kept an eye out. — Megan & Michael