Limerick teacher’s appeal to get stolen dog back and warns of ‘massive increase in thefts’

A COUNTY Limerick teacher has appealed for the public’s help in finding her beloved Spring Spaniel, Molly.

Orlagh Eichholz, who teaches in Caherline National School, also wants to warn other dog owners of the dramatic increase in thefts of dogs.

Molly, aged approximately nine, was taken from Orlagh’s garden in Cappawhite on Friday evening, July 17.

“Her value to be sold is not much because she’s so old and neutered but we would give or pay anything to have her home to her home comforts and family!

“Molly is a house dog and goes out to the toilet with our other dog Millie before bed. She just pops out to the garden and then they come back in. They go nowhere without each other.

“When Millie came back in without Molly we acted immediately and contacted the gardai in Tipperary Town,” said Orlagh.

She set up a Facebook page called Bring Molly Back

A reward is being offered for the safe return of Molly. Please contact the phone numbers above.

As well as hopefully helping to get Molly back Orlagh wishes to warn other dog owners of an increase in thefts in recent weeks and months.

"They are being stolen as a knock on effect to Covid because the price of dogs has skyrocketed. Loads of them are being taken out on ferries to the UK where they are making even more money.

"I knew there was dogs being stolen but I didn't realise the extent of it until Molly was taken. I joined a couple of lost and found dog pages and there are hundreds going missing every day. In the last two weeks it seems to have exploded. They are literally just taking dog from house after house," said Orlagh.

There had been sightings of people in vans acting suspiciously in Kilfinane, Knocklong, Killaloe and many other locations in the days around Molly's theft but Orlagh didn't personally see a vehicle.

She concluded: "Hopefully this story will stop it happening to someone else. If I had been aware I would not have let Molly out to the garden on her own."