Plea for sick stolen dog to be returned
A GOLD Coast grandmother is pleading for a callous thief to return her sick dog after the shih tzu was “snatched” from a Burleigh Heads playground in broad daylight.
Eileen Graves, 87, said it was a fight against time to rescue her beloved companion Romi, 14, which needs medication twice a day for a heart and kidney condition.
“If he doesn’t have his medication he’ll die,” she said.
“I don’t know what to do without him.”
Mrs Graves said she was taking Romi for his morning walk along the Burleigh Heads Esplanade about 4.20am on Thursday when a man appeared, swooped on the dog and ran to a nearby car.
“I think (the thief) watched me, he saw I walk slowly with a stick,” she said.
“I tried to chase him down but I couldn’t keep up. I was shouting ‘please bring my dog back’.”
Family members hope someone might spot the distinctive pooch, which has just one eye, and are “hoping and praying” for his safe return.
Mrs Graves said the dognapper was an unshaven man in his 30s, who was wearing a military-style jacket and a backpack at the time.
She said he drove off in a white sedan. The dog has not been seen since.
Her son, Richard Graves, said his mother had been beside herself since Romi was taken.
“She’s still walking around talking to him, asking ‘where are you?’ – she’s devastated,” he said.
“It’s devastating not knowing what’s happened to him or where he is.”
Mr Graves said the family had been calling vets, printing pamphlets and posting on social media pages in a bid to find Romi. The family suspects the dognapping might be related to a string of strange home visits by a man over the past two months.
Mr Graves said a stranger had knocked on the door several times in recent weeks, asking to see and feed Romi.
“We just want the dog back,” Mr Graves said. “Please return him, no questions asked.”
Police are investigating. Anyone with information or who has seen Romi is urged to call 0431 409 134.
I TRIED TO CHASE HIM DOWN BUT I COULDN’T KEEP UP. I WAS SHOUTING ‘PLEASE BRING MY DOG BACK’
EILEEN GRAVES