By Kirsty Topping
Julia with her Husky Aldo
THE heartbroken owner of a 1000 husky stolen from outside a supermarket has pleaded for the return of her pet, telling the thieves
“you have ruined my life.”
Julia Svetska, 33, from Livingston in West Lothian was shopping in Morrisons on Sunday afternoon when her three-year-old dog, named Aldo, was taken.
The lab assistant described her shock at realizing her
“best friend’ was gone.
She said:
“I was shopping and when I came outside he was gone. I started crying and I couldn’t think, I just ran until I found a man who told me a pregnant woman and a man in a blue jacket had taken my dog. “
She described her dog as good natured
“My dog is very friendly, he loves people and is never aggressive. “
Ms Svetska, who is originally from Latvia, has had the dog since she bought him as a puppy in Italy. She said she cannot understand why anyone would steal the unneutered dog.
“They can’t breed from him because they don’t have the pedigree papers for him and he’s microchipped as well. They might try to sell him but I hope they don’t do that.
“I hope he’s not scared and nervous without me. I can only hope I get him back. I want to tell the thieves to give him back. They have ruined my life and I love him so much, he’s my best friend.
She added:
“I am crying all the time and I hope that he comes home to me. He is my best friend, my baby. “
Aldo as a puppy
“I think they took him because he’s such a valuable dog.
Witnesses described a man and woman approaching the dog and petting it, before untying its lead and making off towards Raeburn Rigg.
Police are now appealing for anyone who was in the area and witnessed the theft to come forward.
The male suspect is described as white, around 26-years-old, between 5ft and 5ft 11ins tall with a skinny build and short cropped black hair that was brushed over to the right.
He was wearing a blue coat with a green emblem on the shoulder, grey t-shirt, blue jeans and white trainers.
The female suspect is described as white, around 26-years-old, between 5ft and 5ft 2ins tall with a heavy build, possibly pregnant and dark ginger hair. She was wearing black trousers, a cream top and a black cardigan.
A police spokesman said: “The theft of her beloved pet has left the owner understandably distressed and we are
Aldo is a white Siberian Husky
appealing for help in identifying the suspects.
“Anyone who was in or around Morrisons late yesterday afternoon, who remembers seeing the suspects with the dog, should contact police immediately.
“Similarly, anyone with any other information that can assist us in reuniting the dog with its owner should also get in touch.”
It’s possible that the dog was stolen to sell because of his high value, estimated at around 1000, or possibly to breed from as he was unneutered.
Dognapping is thought to be one of the fastest growing crimes in the UK.
Last year a pet insurance company claimed 128,000 dogs and cats are stolen each year and that more than a third of pets that disappear are never seen again.
Anyone with any information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.
