Dog owner’s despair after car is stolen at funeral while puppies are in boot

A devastated dog lover is offering a £500 ‘no questions asked’ reward after thieves stole her Land Rover – with two seven-month old puppies inside.

Rachel Weaver-Tooley, 45, had driven a friend to a funeral in Bromsgrove, Worcs. and parked her 2006 Land Rover outside the church for the service.

But when she went to return to the car it had vanished – with two seven-month old miniature daschunds in the boot.

The distraught carer and children’s nanny, from Clifton, Bristol said: “We went into the funeral and were absolutely stunned when we came out to find the Land Rover had gone with the dogs inside.

“Finding the Land Rover is immaterial but finding the dogs as soon as possible is absolutely crucial.

“It may well be that whoever took the Land Rover wasn’t aware that the dogs were inside but they are only seven-months old and they will be very hungry and very frightened.

“I would appeal to anyone who has the Land Rover to take the cage with the dogs out of the vehicle and take it to an RSPCA or dog centre or leave it in a public place like a shopping centre or bus or train station where they will be found.

“I am prepared to pay a £500 reward with no questions asked for the safe return of the dogs.”

One of the puppies is a male chocolate and red coloured smooth hair miniature daschund wearing a chocolate brown leather and brass collar. His name is Red.

The other puppy, Otto, is a male brindle coloured wire hair miniature daschund.

The mid-blue ‘RAF’ coloured Land Rover is a 2006 model with a distinctive ‘888DAX’ registration plate. It was stolen outside St Peter’s Church on Worcester Road in Bromsgrove on Thursday between 12.30 and 1.45pm.

Anyone with any information should call the RSPCA national headquarters on 0300 123 499.