The owner of two cocker spaniels stolen from locked kennels in Perthshire has made an emotional plea for them to be returned home safely.
Iona McGregor was on a short break with her family when she received the awful news that two of their dogs had been stolen.
They immediately rushed back home to their farm steading in Amulree, near Dunkeld and discovered that two of their female golden cocker spaniels had been taken.
It is believed the thieves had used a tool that was nearby to break into the kennels and removed the two pooches, leaving behind other dogs.
Iona, 18, described the theft as "heartbreaking" and wants to get the word out far and wide to make the animals too hot to handle.
She told the Record: "I just want my dogs home, I want to know who did it but more importantly I just want them home.
"The thought of not know where they are, who they are with or what could be happening to them is absolutely petrifying.
"We've had police and forensics around and involved and they said there is clear evidence that they have been stolen.
"We were on holiday and had taken every precaution possible, like we normally do to keep our dogs safe, from CCTV to fully locked kennels, to them being checked at random times, multiple times a day.
"We got a call saying two cockers had been stolen, the other dogs were fine and accounted for.
"They had broken into the kennel using a tool from near the house, like a metal bar and they had turned the CCTV camera away, upright."
The stolen dogs have been shared on multiple missing dogs site and all across social media as Iona and her family urgently try and find them.
Police are currently investigating the theft, which is believed to have happened between 2pm and 2.45pm on Thursday.
Two vehicles were seen near the steading during that time, a white Transit van and a blue Ford Focus.
It is not known whether either vehicle had any involvement in the theft, but officers are trying to trace the owners of them both to see if they have any information that could assist them.
Iona, who is self-employed, said that both dogs were microchipped and have been marked down as stolen, so it will be flagged up if they are taken to a vet.
She added: "You don't expect this to happen to you at all, it's absolutely heartbreaking.
"They are very well-cared for, and this obviously happened in broad daylight, so I mean if they are doing this, what else are they getting off with, how blasé can you be?"
This is the second similar dog theft to be reported this week, with two springer spaniels being stolen from kennels in Kingussie overnight on Sunday.
It is not known if the two crimes are linked.
If you have any information to assist the investigation into the theft of the two cocker spaniels, call 101 or speak with any police officer.
Also, information can be given anonymously through CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.
The reference is incident 2071 of 15th July.
