A FAMILY in Ferndown who fear their dog has been stolen are offering a substantial reward for its safe return.

Cookie, a young adult beige Cockerpoo, was last seen on CCTV footage on property on Longfield Drive in West Parley at 11.52am on Friday September 18.

Owner Alan Butler said: “I can’t actually describe how lovely she is, she is such a wonderful dog and we are desperate for her return.

“She was in my Volkwagen Transporter van which was parked on the corner of New Road and Longfield Drive, so anyone driving along New Road either north in the direction of Parley Cross or south may have been able to see her.

“I was doing the garden of the optometrists on Longfield Drive so he was literally standing feet away from her but it was just a spilt second.”

Having looked back at CCTV footage from her parent’s house, Cookie was seen getting out of the van and walking over the road from the optometrists.

Alan added: “You could see her walking across the road very slowly towards someone who was just off camera as they hid behind the bush.

“My daughter put out a post saying she was missing and someone got in touch saying they has seen something as they were driving away from Parley Cross in the direction of Kinson.

“He said that someone beckoned a dog towards him before grabbing her by the collar and walk down the road towards the Tesco Express.”

Since putting an appeal up about Cookie on Facebook yesterday, more than 1,500 people have shared the urgent appeal to local community groups in the hope of finding the young dog.

The family are offering a substantial reward in return for their beloved pooch.

“My grandson is 10 years old and he is absolutely beside himself, he is so worried about her,” said Alan.

“We are also offering a substantial reward for her return. 

“We have had people offer help in searching for her but because we think she has been taken rather than just gone missing, we would like people with CCTV or dashcam footage to get in touch.

“If anyone with dashcam footage driving along New Road between 11.30am and 12.30pm yesterday, please get in touch with us.”

Anyone with information or footage of the dog has been told to contact Dorset Police, using crime reference number 55200140885.