Devastated owner appeals for public's help to trace dog reported stolen from garden in Derbyshire

Gemma Knighton is asking the public to get in touch if they see her seven-year-old pooch Kilo.

It is understood that Kilo, who is microchipped and spayed, was taken from outside her home in Birchwood Road, Alfreton, at around 7am on Sunday, March 20.

Gemma, 31, has been left devastated by the theft while her three sons, Leo, aged five; Joe, three; and one-year-old Noah, are heartbroken.

The mum-of-three said: “My ex-partner was house sitting while I was at my parents for the weekend and he let her out like he does every morning.

"She's usually pottering about out there for a little while but when he went to let her back in she was nowhere to be seen and the back gate was open.

"She’s never been away from home, she’s quite a scaredy cat. If somebody had just left the gate open then you’d expect her to be on the streets somewhere but she’s just disappeared.”

Kilo, who has been missing for just over a week, is described as red in colour and has a bald patch on her left side.

Gemma added: “We rescued her when she was about 12 weeks old. She was starved and beaten, so she doesn’t like men.

"Still now she doesn’t like men and doesn’t like strangers. She’s really bouncy and playful when you get to know her but is really skeptical of people – she wouldn’t have gone willingly with someone.

“For the past week we’ve been searching everywhere for her but we’ve had no sightings at all.

"Obviously the kids are missing her… it’s awful without her, it’s just so quiet.”

Dogue de Bordeaux’s have a typcal life expectancy of between five and eight years – and with Kilo set to turn eight this year she might not have long left.

Gemma is now urging the person who has taken her beloved pooch to “let her come home” by either dropping or off with the RSPCA or a rescue centre, so she can be reunited with her family.

Anyone who sees Kilo is asked to call 07359 079758. You can also follow the ‘Kilo Stolen’ page on Facebook.

Information can also be passed to Derbyshire Constabulary, using reference 22*175836.

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