The owner of a cocker spaniel stolen from a north-east kennel is hopeful his dog will be returned.
Alan Johnstone’s seven-year-old dog was snatched from his kennels in the Fiddes area near Stonehaven on Monday night.
The female cocker spaniel was with her pup when she was taken by brazen thieves, who struck when Mr Johnstone was in the shower.
If it was not for the barking from the younger dog, Mr Johnstone fears that they both would have been stolen.
He said: “I was in the shower and heard the dogs barking outside and when I returned to the kennel, I saw that it was opened.
“I had no idea where she went so I went to the petrol station next door and asked to see their CCTV.
“In it, I saw someone run away with the dog under their arm.
“There are two dogs in the kennel and it was obvious they had tried to steal both of them but the other one barks a lot, while the one taken does not.”
Police appealed for information to help reunite Alan with his seven-year-old pooch, who was taken between 6pm and 7.30pm on Monday night.
Alan is angered by the theft and hopes the thief might abandon the dog so she can be returned home to him.
He said: “Immediately after she was taken I thought the worst, that she would be used for dog-fighting.
“But then someone told me that it was more likely she had been taken for breeding with a poodle, so that they can sell cock-a-poos for a lot of money.
“The police are helping us and are making inquiries and I hope she gets abandoned somewhere and she is taken back to us.
“Her daughter is really missing her mum and if anyone has any information, please get in touch with the police.”
PC Lesley Powney, from the Stonehaven Community Policing Team, said: “It is obviously extremely upsetting for a family pet to be taken this way.
“I would urge anyone with information to contact the police on 101 or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference PS-20201109-3401.