STOLEN DOG: Blue Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog called Baloo - Oxford area, Oxfordshire

Report received on the Animal Finders system.

Report approved by Administrator.

Report distributed to relevant organisations on the Official Alert Network for Oxford.

Report distributed to all Local Pet Watch members within a 50 mile radius of last known location.

If this happened just as you've said then it's a crime that the Police should also be dealing with. Have you reported this to the Police?They will be able to have the Pets At Home CCTV footage examined to attempt to identify the individuals.You should also ask Pets At Home to save their CCTV footage and they may allow you to look at this yourself - especially seeing as they've acted stupidly and are partly responsible.

Dear Gary Thank you for your comment and yes the police are involved but are too busy to look at cctv until tomorrow! I have been to the shop and they say they are unable to let me see cctv because of data protection. They have confirmed from my pictures that it was my dog and that they have clear cctv images of the person who claimed it was his!!! I am at a loss as he is a valuable dog and i fear he will be sold and moved out of oxford quickly!I agree that pets at home have been irresponsible but they tell me they are not legaly obliged to hold a dog when someone is claiming it to be theirs and because he was not micro chipped they felt they had to believe him. No details were taken (not that they would have been correct if they had taken them) were asked for, the dog warden not contacted, so he just walked away unquestioned. I have to wait until monday for the police to update me.. no doubt he will be long gone !!!

OK, well good Luck in finding him. My only other suggestion if you haven't done it already is to check what other CCTV footage is around outside the shop (other Shops maybe) and also the local Car Park... once the clear footage of the individuals is found then other footage might show them getting into a car. The Police might not bother to do this unless you ask/follow this up with them and point out other local cameras close by.The Police should be interested in this as people who steal dogs like this are often involved in other crime.Regarding 'Pets At Home'... in my opinion they should be very concerned about you taking legal action against them. You might want to have a quick word with a solicitor or Citizens Advice Bureau on this aspect.If someone (or company) accepts a Dog when it is handed in then (and clearly the did) they become responsible in some way (a duty of care) of ensuring that it is reported to the appropriate authorities (Police, Council, Vet or licensed Dogs Home); they appear to have failed to do this.It is certainly not acceptable to dish out handed-in property to the first person who turns up claiming it theirs.They wouldn't have acted so irresponsibly if it was a Gold Watch no doubt.

Yes all of what you have mentioned we have done or thought. I have just come back from the shop again where they have no manager or area manager on duty for me to make contact. I have rang the dog warden to get information on the shops call. My call was 20 mins before they called to say dog handed into shop given back to owner! They should not have given the dog to anyone until checking with the dog warden for any dogs reported lost!!! The person they handed him to was scruffy dressed and rotting teeth- clearly not someone who could afford a dog like mine and obviously took him to sell!!im gutted. Thank you so much for all your support.. greatly appreciated!!!

I may have seen this dog on Friday outside Tesco on St Aldates right opposite the police station. It was on a lead with 2 guys one had shaved head and he did not look like he had much control of it, they were waiting outside for a girl they were all in their late 20's. The reason I noticed the dog because of the colour never seen one which I thought was grey colour but looking at your picture it was this colour. The CCTV on both sides of the road will have them on it and also Tesco will have CCTV outside the shop hope this is of some help and that you get your dog backLouise

thank you for your message this could be a massive help can you please ring me or give me your number to call you mine is 07725123737

My heart goes out to you Heidi. I am in Abingdon, but I will certainly keep my eyes open for him. Your dog has very a distintct colouring. I am disgusted with Pets at Home, and won't be shopping there again. My partner is a plumber and travels around Oxford all the time, and I have shown him Baloo's picture. He too is keeping his eyes peeled.Good luck, and I really hope you find him. Just keep pestering the police, as dog theft is not acceptable, and harsher sentences must be implemented as a deterent. Once again, good luck Heidi.

Dear louise... your info has been brilliant.. we have spoke with security at tescos who have said they noticed the dog for the same reason his colour and that they are homeless people who use the store regularly! i will pass the info onto the police to check the cctv as they are sure to be known to them!!!! I will of course keep you all updated for all your kindness... i pray we are onto them and I get him back... remember us in your prayers

Please if anyone lives in abingdon road area of oxford keep a look out for baloo as ive been told there is a homeless unit somewhere near the folly pub thankyou

Dear louise your information has been brilliant he was seen by tesco security guard because of his colour.. they are homeless people and regulars to the shop.. will be informing police.. lets hope we are onto them thank you all so much for your help and louise a discription would be great for me to pass onto police too.

Heidi, I do hope you get your dog back soon. Write or phone to Pets at Home head office, the way they have acted is totally irresponable. Don't leave it to a local manager to sort out. Customer Service Manager, Pets at Home Ltd, Epsom Avenue, Stanley Green Trading Estate, Handforth, Cheshire, SK9 3RN. You could even send a letter marked private and personel to the chairman Tony DeNunzio or CEO Matt Davies. Good luck, and don't let them off the hook.

Thank you for the info and I will do that for sure!!!! Just want to leave an update.. thanks to louise we checked out tescos and found that it probably was Baloo in st aldates friday evening as the security guard remembered him from his unusual colour! He was with 2 men and a woman which im led to believe are homeless possibly drug users! He was also seen in headington with people of the same discription yesterday!!! please keep a look out. Hes probably not being treated well

This is so sad and bad at the same time have put all details across twitter and really hope you find him xx

Have you tried the Bicester kennels any dogs picked up around area seem to be handed in there , just a thought xx

So sad hope you find him soon

So glad you found him and glad I could help xx

I'm a bit confused - Has he been found safe and well now? I really hope so - and I would absolutely NOT let this drop with Pets at Home either! Please let us know, Good Luck!

I would just like to thank you all for all your help kindness and support in finding Baloo. he was found at bicester kennels after the wonderful help of kazalfie and this website. He is very distressed and tired but he has had the ok from the vet!!!!THANK YOU SO MUCH xxxx

This is great news Heidi! I had a call from Annabelle at Ardley Rescue Kennels to say that you got him back. Have you any idea how he ended up there? Oxford isnt their jurisdiction so I'm guessing he ended up somewhere in the Cherwell District Council area...?Regardless - I'll mark him as found. I'm really pleased we were able to help you.Nick

I dont quite understand either but yes he has been found safe and well. Kazalfie who posted on here saw a tweet on twitter saying dog had been found on botley road and taken to Bicester!!!! Im confused myself why they wrote that on there but i followed it up and rang the kennels out there and they told me he was there!!! I have collected him having paid a release fee and for the record HAD TO PROVE WITH DOCUMENTS THAT HE WAS MY DOG !!!!!I will have to ring back to the kennels tomorrow to get the information correct as I was high on emotion to see him!!I was told he was found 10 miles from the kennels.. how he got there is a mystery. The police have apparently been to get the cctv but as yet have not contacted me but the dog warden Mandy has been wonderful and out looking from early this morning until I notified her of the information at Bicester!!!Once I have recovered from the trauma and my feet have touched the ground I will persue this as it clearly has distressed all my family and more importantly My dog! He was filthy dirty and stinking and when I tried to bath him he was totally distressed!!! I bath him every week and he never ever is so upset ... IM LIVID. I dont know who has had him or what trauma he has been though but he was starving hungry and clearly has been distressed by the experience or the treatment he has received!!!!!

So happy Baloo has been found, Kazalfie alerted me on Twitter ( I am from staffy club.com) so I posted on FB as we deal with lots of pound dogs, someone then notified me there was a blue boy just been taken in Biscester pound, quite amazing really that it was your Baloo, so happy he is now safe and sound.

That's Fantastic news! So glad he is home with you all - exactly where he belongs. Hope everything works out for you, Give him (and you too!) a big hug from me xx