Heartbroken couple's appeal after their beloved pet dog was stolen from their home in Kibworth - can you help?

A heartbroken couple have had their beloved pet dog stolen from their home in Kibworth Harcourt.

Rachel Wade, 28, and her husband Kieran, 24, are launching a massive effort to find and recover their chow chow Betsy after she was pinched from their back garden.

The two-and-a-half-year-old dog – who’s already had a traumatic start to her life – was taken on Saturday night (December 19) after a string of dog thefts across Leicestershire over the last few months.

Distraught Rachel told the Harborough Mail: “It’s absolutely devastating.

“We haven’t got any children and Betsy is our little baby.

“We still can’t believe that she’s been stolen and she’s gone.

“But we are now doing all we can to get her home again in time for Christmas.”

She said the criminals struck between 8.45pm and 8.55pm on Saturday night.

“Kieran had just taken Betsy out for a walk.

“He got back and put her in our back garden to do her business.

“She’s very private and won’t do it while she’s out walking,” said Rachel, a teacher at Kibworth Primary School.

“Kieran was in the kitchen overlooking the garden while plating up his dinner.

“I was on my way back from the shops and he asked me to let her back in when I got home.

“I arrived home within minutes and went straight out in to the garden.

“But the gate was swinging wide open.

“And the heavy duty padlock we’d put on to secure the gate was gone.

“The evil, disgusting people who did this obviously came prepared because they’d cut through the padlock and stole poor Betsy just like that.

“My heart just sank straight away – I was stunned.

“I ran straight to Kieran, we just couldn’t believe Betsy had been stolen,” said Rachel, whose husband is a contractor.

“We called the police straight away to alert them.

“And we have been out walking the streets and roads of Kibworth looking for Betsy and shouting her name ever since.

“She’s spayed and microchipped – and we’ve already registered her as stolen.

“We have also tipped off local vets and got the message out far and wide on social media to alert as many people as possible right across the area.

“The criminals who have got her are obviously a highly-organised crime gang.

“They knew exactly what they were doing, it was so ruthless.

“We live in a very quiet, private part of Kibworth Harcourt, down a narrow jitty.

“We never use our back gate except to put out the bin.

“And Betsy never goes out in the garden except to go to the toilet,” said Rachel.

“So they were out there lurking and watching with the tools to cut through the lock as soon as they got that tiny time window when Betsy went out into the garden.

“It’s just so horrible it beggars belief.

“Chow chow puppies can go for as much as £4,000.

“Even an adult female like Betsy could fetch £1,000.

“But as far as we’re concerned she’s clearly both priceless and irreplaceable.

“We suspect she’s been stolen to order.

“Betsy means the world to us.

“We rescued her from the Dogs Trust in October 2018 when she wasn’t quite six months old after someone had tried to smuggle her into the UK illegally from Lithuaina.

“So she’d already had a tough start in life and she’s a super wary, very nervy dog.

“It doesn’t bear thinking about where she is now or what’s happening to her.

“But we will fight and battle to get our Betsy back that’s for sure.”

Rachel also warned dog owners throughout Harborough to be extra vigilant.

“We’ve had quite a few pets being taken over the last year or so.

“The horrific people who have stolen Betsy have taken dogs before, I’m certain of it, and they’ll do it again given the chance.

“Please keep an eye on your dogs all the time,” she said.

“I’ve had a lot of tears and it is so devastating.

“We’re offering a reward for the safe return of Betsy – our family, bless them, are chipping in to help us out.

“We are determined to get Betsy back home here with us where she belongs in time for Christmas.

“And it goes without saying that she’ll be the best Christmas present we could ever have.”

Leicestershire Police said: “Officers received a report of the theft of a dog from a property in Kibworth between 8.45pm and 8.55pm on Saturday 19 December.

“The dog is a two-year old female chow chow with a sandy-blonde fluffy coat and has been microchipped.

“It is reported to have been stolen from the back garden of the property.

“Anyone with any information should contact police on 101 quoting incident 681 of 19 December.

“You can also report online at www.leics.police.uk”

You can also call Betsy’s owner Kieran Wade on 07810 235638.