Dogged search continues for missing pedigree pet Angel

Last February, the Yorkshire Post revealed that Dawn Maw, 42, had offered the huge sum to anybody with information after taking out a new loan against her £160,000 home.

She said she was desperate to find out what had happened to pointer Angel, and has travelled the country to find the dog, which was taken on December 6 last year.

“I didn’t tell the bank what I needed the money for,” said Mrs Maw.

“My husband was a little dubious before we approached the bank, but he would never have stopped me because Angel was part of the family and we all miss her.

“We’ve managed to raise money which we’ve put towards raising awareness of Angel.

“I’ve published 18,000 posters, 70,000 business cards and 30,000 flyers, and spent about £5,000 on advertising, but she’s still not been found.”

Mrs Maw, of Cawthorne, near Barnsley, said the remortgage had left her family making sacrifices and missing holidays and meals out - but insisted it was all worth it.

“It’s devastated the whole family. People have said to me, ‘why don’t you just get a new dog?’

“But it’s not like getting a new car. You can’t just replace her. That’s why it was so important to get this money, so we know we’re doing everything we can to get her back.

“I still have hope we’ll find her. It’s been five months but the biggest hope we have is her microchip.

“Hopefully someone will find her and a vet will scan her, because she’s microchipped.”

Mrs Maw has been working with Bruce Forsyth’s daughter Debbie Matthews, who’s launched a campaign called Vets Get Scanning, and introduced ‘halo scanners’ which cost just under £30 and are more accessible than regular scanners.

She has also hired a private detective and reported the theft to South Yorkshire Police.

Mrs Maw said she had been walking four-and-a-half-year-old Angel and her three other dogs near her home, and was putting the animals in the back of the car when Angel disappeared.

“As I turned around I saw a white Transit van,” she said. “It was 7.30am and it had only just got light.

“She was obviously stolen and whoever has got her doesn’t want to give her up. Whether she was stolen to order, I don’t know.

“She means a lot to us. I really miss her and my social calendar revolved around doing things with her like showing her at Crufts.

“She was part of the family. I’m quite well known in the dog showing community and the Kennel Club.

“All the show community have been really supportive and everyone has been looking out for her.”