Welsh soccer star Aaron Ramsey, who joined Mexico City–based Pumas UNAM in July to become one of the few high-profile European players in Liga MX, has doubled the reward for his missing dog Halo to US $20,000 as the search in central Mexico stretches into its third week.
The 34-year-old midfielder said Halo, a 10-year-old beagle, vanished Oct. 9 in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. She was wearing a GPS collar when last seen in the vicinity of Hipsterrier, a dog camp/boarding facility, he added.
“If you have any news about our Halo, don’t hesitate to contact us,” he wrote on Instagram. “There will be a BIG REWARD for finding her. We’re all praying that she’s OK and can be back with us soon.”
The initial reward offered was US $10,000.
He later posted a black-and-white photo of the dog resting on his arm, captioned, “What I’d do to hold you one last time Halo.”
Ramsey’s wife, Colleen, publicly questioned whether Halo “simply disappeared,” adding, “She was probably taken. I urge local residents to share her photo. We’re looking for her, dead or alive.”
“We’ve been silent, trying to understand how you can leave your dog at a ranch and never see her again,” Aaron Ramsey added. “No explanation? The cameras weren’t recording, no one found her, no sightings, no body and a bunch of lies. We just want to say goodbye and move on.”
The ordeal has coincided with an extended Ramsey absence from Pumas, one of 18 teams in Mexico’s top professional league, Liga MX. With two matches to go in the current season, the auriazules (gold and blues) are in 13th place with a record of 3 wins, 6 ties and 6 losses.
Ramsey — a former star for Arsenal (2008-2019) in the English Premier League and for Juventus (2019-2022) in Italy’s Serie A — has played in only six of those games, registering one goal and zero assists.
The captain of the Wales national team was first granted special leave by coach Efraín Juárez, which was then extended due to what has been reported as a hamstring injury.
Ramsey’s remark “We just want to say goodbye and move on” led to speculation he wanted to leave Mexico. But Pumas confirmed this week that he has returned to the team’s training center to begin rehabilitation.
Pumas would qualify for the playoffs by finishing in the top 10 in the standings, which is still a possibility. The team has an important home game on Sunday against Club Tijuana at Estadio Olímpico Universitario — the main venue of the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
With reports from BBC, Milenio, Redgol, Récord, AP and Wales Online
