Post by catstina on May 7, 2012 11:02:28 GMT -5
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1272752/Police-year-old-girls-stolen-pet-puppy--say-back.html
Police find nine-year-old girl's stolen pet puppy... but say she can't have it back
After saving up for months for a pedigree puppy, Leanne Stewart did the sensible thing and had her new pet microchipped.
So when the mother-of-two's Chinese shar pei Millie was stolen from her back garden, she at least had the comfort of hoping she would eventually be returned to them.
It took more than six months but, eventually, the £750 puppy was traced. Miss Stewart - and more importantly her nine-year-old daughter Megan - were expecting an emotional reunion with the pet. But this has been dashed by police.
They have been told that they cannot take Millie off the new owner because the man bought the dog in good faith - despite the microchip proving she is Miss Stewart's.
Now she faces the agonising choice between a lengthy - and potentially expensive - legal battle or accepting she will never see her puppy again.
Yesterday the 31-year-old told how the bitter blow had only added to the heartache caused to Megan and one-year-old Kayden, following the death of their father at Christmas.
Animal charities say pedigree puppies are particularly targeted by thieves and urge all dog owners to have their pets chipped. But they admit that this provides no guarantee that a stolen dog will be returned to its lawful owner.
Miss Stewart said the family's joy at being told Millie had been found quickly turned to despair. She said: 'When they called I thought that would be it, we would get the dog back.
'At the end of the day she's my dog, she's been stolen. I bought Millie, I have got the papers for her and she is registered in my name. I just can't understand it.
'What's the point in chipping them?'
Miss Stewart said she and her painter-decorator partner, Simon McDonald, saved up for a year to buy the puppy with its distinctive wrinkly, apricot-coloured skin, arranging for her to be microchipped for peace of mind.
But just three weeks after picking her up last June, Millie vanished from the back garden of their home in Bolton.
The couple's daughter was devastated by the beloved pet's disappearance, and they hunted throughout the neighbourhood and put up poignant home-made posters in case she had simply escaped and run off.
They reported the theft to police, but nothing had been heard.
In December, Mr McDonald died of a brain haemorrhage.
Last month the mourning family were told Millie had been found nearly 30 miles away in the Croxteth area of Liverpool, and Miss Stewart began preparing for her return.
But now they have been told that, because no charges are being pressed against a 42-year-old man who had been arrested on suspicion of theft, police cannot intervene further.
Miss Stewart now faces going to court if she is ever to be reunited with Millie.
She said: 'It's really upset me and my kids, who keep asking me when Millie is coming back. The police have not given me any advice.
'If someone had stolen a car and police had found that, they would give it back. But this man is saying he bought my dog without knowing it was stolen and he thinks he has a claim on her.
'Megan has been saying, "When's it coming back, are we getting it back?". I've got a picture of Millie on the fireplace and she just looks at it saying, "I miss my daddy and my dog, when is it coming back?".'
A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said such cases were 'extremely rare' and urged dog owners not to be dissuaded from having their pets chipped.
'It must be extremely upsetting for the family, but without a microchip it is impossible to definitely trace a lost or stolen pet,' she said.
'We've had people reunited with their dogs after seven years or more as a result.'
Greater Manchester Police said it was no longer investigating the alleged theft, with a spokesman adding: 'This is now a civil matter.'
Police find nine-year-old girl's stolen pet puppy... but say she can't have it back
After saving up for months for a pedigree puppy, Leanne Stewart did the sensible thing and had her new pet microchipped.
So when the mother-of-two's Chinese shar pei Millie was stolen from her back garden, she at least had the comfort of hoping she would eventually be returned to them.
It took more than six months but, eventually, the £750 puppy was traced. Miss Stewart - and more importantly her nine-year-old daughter Megan - were expecting an emotional reunion with the pet. But this has been dashed by police.
They have been told that they cannot take Millie off the new owner because the man bought the dog in good faith - despite the microchip proving she is Miss Stewart's.
Now she faces the agonising choice between a lengthy - and potentially expensive - legal battle or accepting she will never see her puppy again.
Yesterday the 31-year-old told how the bitter blow had only added to the heartache caused to Megan and one-year-old Kayden, following the death of their father at Christmas.
Animal charities say pedigree puppies are particularly targeted by thieves and urge all dog owners to have their pets chipped. But they admit that this provides no guarantee that a stolen dog will be returned to its lawful owner.
Miss Stewart said the family's joy at being told Millie had been found quickly turned to despair. She said: 'When they called I thought that would be it, we would get the dog back.
'At the end of the day she's my dog, she's been stolen. I bought Millie, I have got the papers for her and she is registered in my name. I just can't understand it.
'What's the point in chipping them?'
Miss Stewart said she and her painter-decorator partner, Simon McDonald, saved up for a year to buy the puppy with its distinctive wrinkly, apricot-coloured skin, arranging for her to be microchipped for peace of mind.
But just three weeks after picking her up last June, Millie vanished from the back garden of their home in Bolton.
The couple's daughter was devastated by the beloved pet's disappearance, and they hunted throughout the neighbourhood and put up poignant home-made posters in case she had simply escaped and run off.
They reported the theft to police, but nothing had been heard.
In December, Mr McDonald died of a brain haemorrhage.
Last month the mourning family were told Millie had been found nearly 30 miles away in the Croxteth area of Liverpool, and Miss Stewart began preparing for her return.
But now they have been told that, because no charges are being pressed against a 42-year-old man who had been arrested on suspicion of theft, police cannot intervene further.
Miss Stewart now faces going to court if she is ever to be reunited with Millie.
She said: 'It's really upset me and my kids, who keep asking me when Millie is coming back. The police have not given me any advice.
'If someone had stolen a car and police had found that, they would give it back. But this man is saying he bought my dog without knowing it was stolen and he thinks he has a claim on her.
'Megan has been saying, "When's it coming back, are we getting it back?". I've got a picture of Millie on the fireplace and she just looks at it saying, "I miss my daddy and my dog, when is it coming back?".'
A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said such cases were 'extremely rare' and urged dog owners not to be dissuaded from having their pets chipped.
'It must be extremely upsetting for the family, but without a microchip it is impossible to definitely trace a lost or stolen pet,' she said.
'We've had people reunited with their dogs after seven years or more as a result.'
Greater Manchester Police said it was no longer investigating the alleged theft, with a spokesman adding: 'This is now a civil matter.'
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