Finding peace after fiery end

‘He was still on his cushion, he was still on his bed.'

Rangiora Knap's hope is their dog Atlas was asleep when someone set fire to the carport where he was sleeping on Monday.

Ryan Brunton shares that hope; that the three-year-old French bull mastiff died painlessly of smoke inhalation as he slept off his dinner.


Atlas and Ryan when Atlas was two years old.

Ryan walked and fed Atlas before leaving him on his bed in the carport and going to the shops on Monday. He returned a short time later to find the carport and garage ablaze.

Atlas's body was found later, under the corrugated iron from the car port roof.

Ryan's hopes for whoever lit the fire are not charitable.

An accelerant is thought to be responsible for the fire that swept through the carport killing Atlas, and gutting the adjacent garage on the Carmichael Road property at about 5.30pm.

'I just want something done about this animal cruelty, you know,” says Ryan.

Two days after they buried Atlas behind the garden shed, the absences are making themselves felt, says Rangiora.

Atlas was their boy. A large dog and a big part of their daily routines and he's not there now. They keep expecting to see him around, or asking to come in the house.

'I expect him to be there and he's not,” she says.


Rangiora and Ryan mourn Atlas.

Atlas was the perfect dog. He was huge, which put some people off, says Rangiora – until they realised he was all friendly slobber and drool.

He never barked, never attacked other dogs, though there were smaller dogs that had size issues with Atlas.

'I could just leave him out there and he would watch the kids go to school.

'He would sit on the bank watching all the kids go past, they all knew him.

'He would let children pat him, pull his ears.”

When they weren't home, Atlas was put away in his shed in the carport, which is what they did late Monday afternoon.

'All within about an hour, gone. It wasn't so much our garage burning – it was our dog,” says Rangiora.

They are wondering if it was the garage or the dog that was the target. If it was the garage, they could have woken the dog, says Ryan. He wasn't chained up, and you couldn't miss seeing him.

A police investigation into the suspicious fire is continuing.

You may also like....

6 comments

Sorry for your loss

Posted on 08-12-2010 16:10 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

So sorry for your loss being a dog owner myself i can only imagine what you are going through. Hope they find the person that did this and make them pay.


.

Posted on 08-12-2010 17:51 | By Matt

We lost our dog to illness last year and can understand your emptiness but cannot even begin to understand the reasoning behind this horrific act. RIP Atlas and best wishes Rangiora and Ryan.


:(

Posted on 08-12-2010 21:06 | By kaz

thinking of you and your family. RIP atlas.


Find the arsonists

Posted on 09-12-2010 15:30 | By Harr

I just hope justice is done here, animal lover myself, Kia kaha atlas we will see you soon.


So Sad :(

Posted on 10-12-2010 07:52 | By Donnaw

I am so sad for your loss, i myself have 3 dogs, and these are my babies...i cant imagine what your going through...all i hope is that the police spend the time trying to catch the gutless peice of crap that has done this to your family, just know that our thoughts are with you during this terrible time.


An evil act

Posted on 11-12-2010 15:36 | By Ian

I am so very sorry for your loss Rangiora and Ryan. I can't understand how anyone could do such a terrible thing to an innocent and loving member of your family. I have been thinking of you continuously last week. I hope the scum who did this evil act are found and brought to justice.


Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.