Anne Maynard, whose adult female Jack Russell named Mouse went missing during a walk at a local golf club on the morning of December 3 last year, said her disappearance had “absolutely devastated” the family.
Extensive and repeated searches by members of the local and wider community, a constantly updated Facebook page and posters with pictures of Mouse have so far failed to return any trace of her, but Ms Maynard said the family will not give up ever
This comes after a large number of dog thefts have been reported in recent months across the country.
Police figures suggest that at least 2,290 dogs were stolen last year in the UK, which is a six per cent increase by 2022.
She said: “It completely changed our lives. You can’t give up. We don’t shut down. We don’t sleep well.
“We get calls from people in the middle of the night saying, ‘We have your dog,’ and then they hang up the phone and we can’t sleep.
“It’s a life sentence as she is part of our family”
Addressing the person who might have her, Ms Maynard said: “They have to do the right thing.
“She’s a beautiful dog, but she’s not his, she’s ours.
“All they have to do is put her in a place where she belongs. No questions asked. She didn’t give up on us, so we won’t give up on her.”
The figures make grim reading as only one in six (16 per cent) were found and successfully returned, the lowest level since insurer Direct Line began tracking the data in 2015.
English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Bullies XL were the most frequently stolen breeds, while the Metropolitan Police recorded the most thefts, with 359 dogs reported missing across London, followed by Kent Police (138) and West Yorkshire Police (125).
English bulldogs and “Frenchies” are regularly advertised for around £3,000, which means criminals can secure large sums for these animals.
Beverley Cuddy, editor of Dogs Today magazine, patron of the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance and founder of dog rescue website Bark Angel, said: “We can make it harder for impulsive criminals by never leaving our dogs tied outside the shops and protecting them.when at home.
“Statistics show that most are stolen from our gardens.
“The Pet Abduction Bill will hopefully punish dog theft more severely, but more needs to be done to change the way dogs are treated as mere merchandise by the law.”
