Limerick woman 'heartbroken' after pet dog Diva reportedly stolen from car

A LIMERICK woman has been left “devastated and heartbroken” after her dog was reportedly stolen from her car, with the culprit later spotted on CCTV footage.

Tammy Meehan says her two-year-old British bulldog Diva was taken from her car which was parked outside her home in Briarfield, Castletroy at approximately 6pm yesterday evening, September 30, while she went inside her home “for no more than four minutes”.

“I just had to grab my bag, so I ran in and the car doors were closed and when I came out she wasn’t there,” says Tammy, who had just returned from a trip with the dog.

“I assumed my husband or the kids had brought her into the house, so we searched there and then the garden and the neighbours.

“We drove around the whole area and people started telling me then there were sightings of her,” she explained, “a girl was seen with a rope around Diva’s neck dragging her at Inver petrol station near the Hurlers pub and then down the alleyway towards Elm Park.”

Diva is a white and light brown coloured bulldog, with markings on her back resembling a teddy bear holding a balloon, with yellow marks above her eyes.

“I haven’t slept, she’s my baby - I don’t see her as a dog at all,” said Tammy, “she thinks she’s one of the girls, the whole community knows Diva.”

“I’m not okay, if I’m being honest,” confessed the distraught dog owner, “I’m hoping the girl in the video took her home, and maybe took her to the vets but I’m pretty sure by now she should have handed her into the vets - Diva is microchipped.

“It just happened in the blink of an eye, I feel like I lost a child,” she added, “she’s only got about ten more years to live and know she’s in the hands of someone else and I don’t know if they’re looking after her or beating her and that’s what’s scary.”

Henry Street garda station are currently investigating the incident, and if you spot Diva please contact them on 061 212 400.