PICTURES and VIDEO: Fag break nightmare as Thurso man has dog stolen from Inverness truck stop

A Thurso dog owner talked about his anguish and delight after being reunited with his pet chihuahua, stolen from a layby near Inverness.

Kev Stewart was driving back to Thurso with his partner Jane Allan and a friend in the early hours of Wednesday (November 13) when they pulled into the truck stop at the north end of the Kessock Bridge.

“It was just after midnight when we pulled up at the Kessock lorry park for a fag and to let our four dogs out,” Kev recalled.

“There was a white van sitting there that we thought were campers. We heard the van door shut and then realised Louis the chihuahua was missing.”

Kev said he suspected the van driver may have taken the tiny three-year-old dog so he went over and asked him but the man said he “didn’t like dogs” and refused his plea to look in the vehicle.

He described the man as possibly being in his 60s and the female passenger, who may have been his partner, as being in her mid-40s.

“I called the police and gave them the registration of the van and they came out. The man driving the van got out and said to them that he had already let Jane look inside to show there was no dog there so the police just left.”

Kev said that the van driver “told lies” about letting his partner look in the van and felt certain that his dog was still inside it. He got so worked up that he said he was going to search the van himself along with his friend but when the driver heard this he took off. He says there were witnesses at the site who also believed the van driver had taken Louis.

“I still was searching but took the horrible decision to drive home thinking if we stayed we would find him but I knew they had him. I thought I was never going to see my wee man again, that was so hard.

“One day went past and we heard nothing.”

Then, thanks to Facebook, friends posted images of a chihuahua that looked like Louis which had been found wandering the streets of Elgin and taken in at Brumley Brae Kennels and Cattery.

“I got a message saying to look on Facebook and I realised right away it was Louis. Thank God for social media. I was jumping around and Jane said ‘What are you doing you, madman?’ and I said ‘They’ve found him, they’ve found him!’ and she jumped into my arms.”

Kev said he thinks the van driver probably dumped the dog in Elgin realising that the police had his vehicle registration.

John Leitch from Brumley Brae Kennels said that his facility has been looking after stray dogs for Moray Council for over 30 years. “At about 6:30pm on Wednesday the council dog warden came to my house with a chihuahua wrapped up in a blanket that had been handed into Wards Vets having been found in the Seafield area of Elgin.

“There had been no reply to the number on the microchip database so I found a unit for him, made up a bed and gave him some supper. He was a bit traumatised but did eat a little before snuggling down for the night.”

John checked the dog’s microchip and was able to contact the breeder in Thurso who gave him the phone number of the owner. Unfortunately, the number was no longer valid. He then took a photo of Louis and posted it on Facebook. Friends of Kev saw the likeness to his lost dog and quickly informed him.

Another friend gave Brumley Brae Kev’s number and John gave him a call. “Kevin was very relieved that his wee boy was fine, had been found and said he was leaving straight away to get him. It was quite emotional and almost had us in tears here.”

The Thurso couple had a bit of a journey down and a few wrong turns before getting to the kennels in Elgin at about 7pm on Friday.

Kev was still very emotional when recalling the moment he was reunited with Louis. “I went down on my knees and looked at him. It took him a few seconds before he realised and I just picked him up and that was it.”

Kev says that Louis is now always checking where his owner is and though he says the ordeal will have affected him Louis is doing well nonetheless. “He’s delighted to be back with the other dogs now. It’s all just totally amazing as we thought we’d never see him again.”

John from Brumley Brae said the kennels do not take in dogs for rehoming but will work in conjunction with local charity BARRK. “They do significant work finding homes for dogs in the northeast and would also be the first port of call for someone looking to adopt.”

The kennel owner stressed how important it is to keep your pet’s microchip updated in case they go missing.

Police Scotland is not pursuing any criminal proceeding with regard to the matter.