Stolen therapy dog that may be in Hampshire prompts £2,500 reward from distraught owners
The reward comes comes three months after Hazel was reported as taken at 6pm on Saturday, August 15.
Hazel went missing from the Walderton area, north of Chichester.
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Hide AdWitnesses report a van or large vehicle was heard pulling up, followed by a dog frantically barking and the sound of screeching tyres, suggesting a vehicle being driven away at speed.
It’s believed Hazel could have been moved to a nearby county, including Hampshire.
The one-year-old Cocker Spaniel mix had been working with vulnerable young people and adults who have suffered from abuse, trauma and neglect.
The theft has left attendees of the The Haven Equine Assisted Therapy Centre ‘heart broken’, according to Rebecca Taylor, a therapist at the centre.
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Hide AdShe said: ‘Taking someone’s dog is kidnapping, not just theft.
‘Your pets are members of your family.
‘Hazel brings so much joy to people, especially as we work with vulnerable young people who have suffered from abuse, trauma and neglect.
‘It’s really hard because the children we see in therapy have often lost trust in people and respond better to animals.
‘Hazel was very much part of the therapeutic process to help people.
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Hide Ad‘They loved to cuddle her whilst they’re talking. She had a calming influence. Some clients even saw her born and have seen her growing up over the year. When they ask every week if Hazel is back yet, it’s heart-breaking to have to say no, though I reassure them that we won’t stop looking until we find her.’
Hazel’s owners are offering a reward of up to £2,500 for information leading to her safe return passed to Crimestoppers.
Information can be given either online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling freephone 0800 555 111.