Bring Marley Home: GA Family Offers Corvette, Cash For Dog Who Went Missing In SC

COBB COUNTY, GA — A Cobb County family has been missing their beloved pet, Marley, since September. In exchange for her safe return, they're offering a huge reward: $4,000 cash and a Corvette.

"Marley is my baby, she has always had a favoring of me out of the two of us. I tuck her into bed every night and she is always big spoon with her paws on my back. Knowing she could be out there, whether someone has her or still running around breaks me to my core," Derek Kirchner told Patch.

Derek and Alex Kirchner adopted Marley, a 4-year-old whippet mix, four years ago from the Cherokee County Humane Society, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

When the Kirchners took Marley on a family vacation to Hilton Head, South Carolina in September, she ran off one day — and they've been looking for her ever since. Derek has even stayed behind in Hilton Head to search for Marley, while Alex and their son returned home to Kennesaw a few weeks after Marley went missing.

"I wake up in the morning, go out and start my morning searches. I have posters on the bike, 'Lost dog' and I ride around Hilton Head searching. Almost everyone in Hilton Head knows me as Marley's dad," Derek told Fox 5.

In Georgia, Alex is getting the word out about Marley on social media. They created a public Facebook group — called Bring Marley Home - Lost Dog - Hilton Head, SC — dedicated to her, and it's garnered over 1,000 members.

The Kirchners have been advertising a $4,000 reward for finding Marley or for info that leads to finding her. But on Wednesday, the couple upped the reward to include the title to Derek's 2016 Z51 Corvette Stingray.

The only caveat to getting the Corvette is that the person must provide proof that they've had Marley prior to Jan. 25 and kept her, as the reward is specifically to entice someone to return her that planned on not doing so, according to the Facebook page.

"I don't know what to do anymore, but this is a huge last ditch effort me and my family are making in hopes that this gets the awareness we need for someone to return her if they have her, or find her ... Marley is one of our kids, she is not just a dog," Derek told Patch.

After five months of searching and living apart, Derek posted on Facebook Wednesday saying the couple is running out of money to keep looking for her. And while they know it's possible Marley hasn't survived, they haven't given up hope.

"Dear Marley, Your Mom & I have officially blown through all of our savings and are now paycheck to paycheck uprooting our lives trying to find you. Please, if you are out there, show yourself! If you have her, please give her back! Or if she is no longer with us, please let her be discovered so we can have the closure we need," Derek posted on Facebook. "We are not giving up; but we may have to do things differently and hope for the best."

If you see Marley, the Kirchners advise not to approach her or call her name as it might startle her and cause her to run off. Instead, they ask you to call 404-444-0569 and keep an eye on her, if possible.