Lakeville Family Continues Search for Missing Rottweiler ‘Wilbur’

It’s every dog owner’s worst nightmare: the day your best friend doesn’t come home.

For Bryan and Kim Brown of Lakeville, that nightmare has now stretched well over a month as their beloved Rottweiler, Wilbur Brown, remains missing.

Wilbur disappeared the night of January 6 from the Bedford Street/Lakeside Avenue area, with his last confirmed sighting later that night in Fuller Shores. Since then, the trail has gone mostly cold.

Family, friends, and neighbors have been searching nonstop. Drone teams – including Fall River-based Hawkeye Aerial Systems – have taken to the skies multiple times hoping to spot him from above, but so far, no confirmed success.

Meet Wilbur Brown

Wilbur is a large black-and-tan male Rottweiler, about three years old and roughly 125 pounds. One notable feature: he has no tail. He was wearing a lime-green collar when he first went missing, though it’s possible it may have come off.

There was one glimmer of hope recently, with a possible sighting caught on a Ring camera. Unfortunately, nothing definitive followed.

Possible Sighting in New Bedford

Early Thursday morning, February 12, around 5 a.m., I stepped outside my West End New Bedford home heading to work, when I heard a deep, unfamiliar bark.

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Moments later, I saw what appeared to be a large Rottweiler with a black coat and no tail. There was no collar visible, and the dog wasn’t interested in coming when called. It was last seen moving along Park Street before heading up Sycamore Street into the darkness.

Was it Wilbur? There’s no confirmation, but it’s enough to keep hope alive.

Family Just Wants Answers

Bryan and Kim aren’t giving up. They simply want answers. Hopefully, their dog back home safe.

If you’ve seen a Rottweiler matching Wilbur’s description anywhere on the SouthCoast – especially Lakeville, New Bedford or surrounding areas – please reach out to the family or contact local animal control immediately.

Sometimes it just takes one sighting, one phone call, one moment of awareness to bring a missing pet home. This family is still holding onto that moment.