Maltipoo puppy, Nala, had been snatched from her dog walker’s van and Melina Georgiou, owner, had been devastated.
Melina had entrusted a professional dog walker with Nala, but Nala had been taken in the van they owned when parked outside another client’s house.
There was another dog in the van, Chester, but has also been reunited with his owners. Both Nala and Chester are back with their rightful owners.
When Mala had been taken, Melina wrote, “Our beautiful little one-year-old maltipoo called Nala was stolen this afternoon while the dogs were being dropped home from a walk by our dog walker.
As the dog walker walked out of the car to drop one of the dogs home, in Barnet, someone jumped in her van and drove off with Nala and two others.”
“I cannot BELIEVE the support not only from locals but from the whole entire country,” she told The Star.
“It’s been absolutely overwhelming, we’ve had over 11k shares on Facebook alone, hundreds and hundreds on Instagram and Twitter and floods of loving messages or support and kind words which has been so motivating to never give up hope that we’ll find her.”
Police have warned citizens that there are organized criminals that go into dog theft since there has been a demand for puppies during lockdown.
Amanda Blakeman, Deputy Chief Constable, from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, states that there has been an increase in potential profits for criminals to steal dogs and to hardened lawbreakers.
The crime may be rare, but it is still possible and it happened to Nala’s, Chester’s, and other’s owners throughout the nation. Ms. Blackman, the NPCC lead for acquisitive crime, adds that “dog theft can be a devastating crime for families and causes considerable distress to owners.”
“During the coronavirus pandemic, criminals have adjusted their activities.. the cost of a puppy has considerably increased.” Pet owners are told to keep caution, even if that involves posting pictures of their new dogs on social media.
Hopefully, the situation is resolved and contained, but cases continue to rise and it is devastating.
Replaced!