A CLEVELAND mum has experienced every pet owner’s nightmare when her beloved cavoodle was stolen after slipping through an improperly shut gate.
When Tania Bull’s cavoodle, Lola, vanished from their yard, the family was devastated to learn she hadn’t just gone missing – she had been stolen.
“We realised a short time later, but there were no signs of her,” Tania said.
“She disappeared very quickly.”
Initially hopeful that Lola would be taken to a vet or the Redland Animal Shelter, the family’s worst fears were realised when days passed with no word.
“When Lola was not handed in anywhere, we suspected she had been stolen,” Tania said.
“The uncertainty not knowing if she was being looked after and if we would ever get her back was truly agonising.”
Determined to find Lola, Tania and her family launched a tireless search effort.
“We rang all the local vets, put up flyers in local parks and supermarkets, door-knocked our local area, did a letterbox drop, reported her as stolen on the central animal register, and posted on many social media platforms,” Tania said.
As a mother of three, Tania found the emotional toll overwhelming.
“I found it hard to sleep, eat, and work,” she said.
“I was very grateful for the support from our friends, family, and extended community network.”
Nearly two days later, a late-night call to Tania revealed a man in a black hoodie had dumped a dog just houses away.
“Initially I was in disbelief as I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” Tania said.
“But the moment I realised it was her I was completely elated and couldn’t stop crying and cuddling her!”
Tania urges pet owners to act fast, using social media and flyers to spread awareness if they suffer the same fate as she did.
“We did also offer a reward when she wasn’t returned the following day and whilst I’m not sure of the impact of this, it is something I would recommend considering.”
“Also very important is to register any stolen animals on the central animal register.”
“I didn’t realise it was so prevalent until I joined a number of Facebook groups and saw how many dogs had been stolen,” she said.
