Since July, Ashley Padon has been moving heaven and earth to find her missing dog, Kikko. It's been an endless search, but a glimmer of hope appeared when actress Amanda Seyfried decided to share her appeal.
The story began in Westlake Village, California, USA. One day, Ashley Padon left her Australian Shepherd with her uncle while she went out for dinner. She was worried because Kikko suffers from severe separation anxiety, but she thought he would be fine for just a few hours.
A sudden disappearance
While she was away, Kikko managed to slip out through the back gate and escape into the street. Her uncle tried to catch him, but to no avail. According to Ashley, the chase may have frightened the little dog, causing him to run even faster in the opposite direction.
Since that evening, there has been no trace of Kikko.
Weeks turned into months, but his owner refuses to give up. She has printed hundreds of flyers, contacted rescues, vets, and charities, knocked on doors in the neighbourhood, and put up posters. She also set up dedicated social media accounts to increase the chances of finding him.
A Hollywood star steps in
It was through social media that Ashley caught the attention of Amanda Seyfried, the actress best known for her role in Mamma Mia. As an Australian Shepherd owner herself, the actress came across Kikko's story and decided to take action.
On 25th December, Ashley posted a video on TikTok (via the account @kikkothetoyaussie) showing her astonishment: Amanda Seyfried had just reshared her appeal, adding a powerful message of her own. The actress promised to triple the reward if it would help.
Originally set at $5,000, the sum then soared to $15,000.
”*I was in complete shock*,” Ashley shared. “*I was so excited. I was hoping that other celebrities would see the story and share it too.*”
Still no concrete leads
Despite this sudden and massive exposure, the situation remains unchanged. No sightings or serious leads have emerged since the actress's post. In their private messages, Amanda Seyfried even assured Ashley that she would repost the appeal once her story expired, simply adding: ”*I’m so sorry.*”
With no news, Ashley is exploring every possible avenue. She explained that she has consulted around fifteen psychics and animal communicators, all of whom have apparently told her the same thing: Kikko is still alive.
On TikTok, the video went viral. Users praised Amanda Seyfried's support and Ashley's unwavering determination. In just a few days, the post has surpassed 1.7 million views, with over 275,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
