Stolen dogs: Families facing Christmas without their beloved pets

The increase in dog thefts means many families are marking Christmas without their beloved pets. BBC News meets some of them and learns more about efforts to try to get them back.

For Christmas this year, Rachel's family really only wants one thing - the return of their dogs, Missy and Biscuit.

The two dogs - mother and daughter spaniels, aged 11 and five - were taken from the family's back garden in Brewood, Staffordshire, in March.

As a result, Rachel said none of the family really feels like celebrating Christmas.

"We're only really doing it because of my little lad," she said.

"We're not in full mode - we normally decorate our house completely, full lights and everything.

"Christmas is my time of year but I can't be bothered.

"My mum hasn't even got the Christmas tree up."

Rachel said her nine-year-old son Joseph has written to Santa asking to have Missy and Biscuit back for Christmas.

Staffordshire Police has said it is continuing to investigate the theft of the dogs.

Rachel's family are not the only ones suffering the consequences of the devastating crime.

There were an estimated 2,000 reports of dog thefts reported in England and Wales in 2020 and many more have occurred since.

Megan Hollies, 23, from Leicester Forest East, said she was not looking forward to Christmas without Grizzley, her French bulldog.

She said her dog was taken from a van in August in Slough.

She said it has been torture not knowing where he is.

"I'm not looking forward to Christmas at all - I just feel, how can I enjoy it when I've not got [Grizzley]?" she said.

"He's my baby."

Thames Valley Police said it had filed a report on the theft pending further information coming to light.

Sue Rogers and her husband were about to adopt a cockerpoo called Tony when he was stolen from a kennels between Tuesday 3 August and Wednesday 4 August.

Sue, 62, said she had loved Tony from the moment she saw him, had paid him several visits, and could not wait to give him a home at her house in West Handley, Derbyshire.

"The last I saw of him was his little face looking out the cage at me," she said.

"I was wanting to go back and fetch him but because he belonged to the rescue it wasn't that simple."

Tony was stolen along with two other dogs - another cockerpoo called Elvis and a cocker spaniel called Remy.

Sue is still hoping he will be found and will come to live with them.

"He's in my thoughts every day," she said.

"Every day it's like 'if only' - if only I'd have brought him home, if only I'd have picked him up sooner.

"He should have had his first birthday with us and that was hard. Now his first Christmas.

"We're just hoping and praying that one day he'll come home."

Derbyshire Police said two people had been arrested in connection with the burglary of Tony, Elvis and Remy.

Both been released under investigation while inquiries continue.

Many other households will be missing the presence of a wet nose and waggy tail this Christmas.

Lisa Dean works for Beauty's Legacy, a charity that helps to reunite lost and stolen animals with their owners.

She said being without your pet is always incredibly hard but at Christmas the emotional impact is even greater.

"A family member has been abducted and the not knowing where they are or whether they are even alive is utter torture for these people," she said.

"We would love nothing more than to see these families put back together for Christmas."

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