A family believes their pet dog has been snatched after CCTV appeared to show the animal being dragged into a car.
Three-year-old Staffy Bella escaped from the Clough family’s garden in Wellgreen Waterside, Lockwood, last night but was later spotted at the nearby Shell petrol station in Woodhead Road.
The pet’s owner John Clough now fears the worst after watching the garage’s CCTV footage and believes Bella has been stolen to be used as a fighting dog.
John, 36, his partner Daniella and their three-year-old son Ethen, are now desperate for the pet’s safe return home.
He has contacted police and phoned Kirklees Council, dog charities and local vets but has still not been able to trace Bella’s whereabouts.
John, who also has a six-month old baby, said: “I was at work and my partner Daniella phoned to say the dog had pushed past the pram in the door and managed to get out as the garden gate was open.
“I rushed home and started driving around the local area. I then stopped and put it on Facebook to see if anyone had seen her.
“It was just by chance someone posted they had seen Bella at the Shell petrol station forecourt.
“I went round there and the staff pulled up the CCTV and we saw her being dragged into a car.
“At first we thought the driver may have been taking her to the vets or to a dog charity but I’ve looked at the CCTV, as I took photos from it on my phone, and it takes a good while for her to get in the car.
“She is a really friendly dog and would go in anyone’s car. But you can see from the images she is pinning herself to the ground and is then dragged.
“I’ve phoned all the vets in this area, kennels and the council and no-one has seen her or heard about her being picked up.
“I just fear the worst that she has been snatched for fighting.
“We are all devastated, I’ve hardly slept. We’ve had her since she was a puppy. She’s not micro-chipped, typically we were going to do it next week.”
John has now contacted the police and is hoping they will be able to trace the vehicle which he believes stole his dog.
Anyone who has information should contact police on 101.
Meanwhile, a pug that was stolen from a garden in Batley in June is still missing.
Peaches the black pug was taken by two men from The Grove, Batley - and even though it was caught on CCTV, they have never been traced - and Peaches is still missing.
Mum Lucy Swift took on extra shifts at work to buy Peaches for her six-year-old son Ellis Barrett after he suffered horrendous burns as a baby. She is still appealing for help to find the dog on Facebook - and says she and Ellis are devastated by Peaches' loss.
