Joy for Grimston owner as third dog found

Dog breeder Shelley Tomsett, from Grimston, has had further good news with her third dog being returned to her after being stolen from kennels back in February.

Shelley’s four wire-haired miniature dachshunds were in boarding kennels in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, and stolen by a gang.

Rummy and Rikki were both found and returned but her other two dogs Jess and Cookie still remained missing.

Now Jess, pictured right, has been found in an area of Basingstoke near to where Rikki was also found. Jess had been running around a village on Sunday and Monday and a group of people managed to herd her into a tennis court to be able to catch her.

Traumatised from being chased and running around without food, she was dirty and grubby.

Dog warden Laura Yates spent time sitting with her in the council kennels for two hours to re-assure and calm her down,

As Jess is micro-chipped and was logged as stolen when the group took her to the vet, they immediately phoned Shelley and to tell her: “We’ve got your dog.”

Shelley’s friend travelled to Basingstoke to collect Jess who was shaking all over and had not been well looked after wherever she was taken.

Shelley said:” As soon as she heard my voice her tail was banging against the car door. She is as happy as Larry and so am I. She is now jumping about again and wagging her tail. I am so happy she is home.”

Jess was in season when she was stolen and Shelley believes that she was stolen for the reason of illegal breeding and then dumped. She has probably given birth to a litter of puppies which will be sold.

Shelley is hopeful that Cookie will soon be found and that searches near the Basingtoke area will provide a lead.