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Search forNoodle the Purley "dognapping" victim returns home
Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 08:30
jolene.hill@essnmedia.co.uk
A Chihuahua at the centre of a feared abduction has been returned home safe and sound.
Noodle, who is a year old, was believed to have been dognapped from his home in Woodcote Valley Road, Purley, last Thursday.
But after a poster blitz and even an internet campaign to find him, the very next day he was returned, to the delight of his owners - and his Jack Russell girlfriend Sammy and their seven-week-old puppies.
Owner Mary Andrews told the Advertiser: "I'm so glad he's back. I had a sleepless night and a massive headache.
"Everybody thinks he's so lovely that everybody wants him. I'm just so glad he's back.
"I had a sleepless night and a massive headache, and I'm just relieved someone had him and he wasn't floating in someone's pond."
Mrs Andrews described how the drama unfolded on Thursday afternoon, when she thought he was sleeping in his kennel.
At about 4pm, she realised he was missing, and the frantic search began.
A neighbour reported seeing a teenage girl with long blond hair, carrying a Chihuahua down Woodcote Valley Road at about midday.
But she had assumed it was Ms Andrew's daughter, Tiffany Nielsen, who looked like the mystery girl.
A poster seeking information about Noodle was quickly drawn up and stuck to lampposts and shop windows by a family friend.
Ms Andrews called Croydon's dog warden, contacted missing dog website, doglost.co.uk, and then the police - who she said told her it was not a matter for them.
Tiffany, 19, set up a site on social networking site, Facebook, which stated: "My little dog has gone missing.
"In fact he has been dognapped, because my neighbour witnessed it.
"If anybody knows of anyone who mysteriously has a new Chihuahua that looks like mine - please let me know because I'm devastated", she added.
But by 10.30am, last Friday (August, 22) the family had a phone call from an indignant woman who said her daughter had the dog but she had not stolen him.
She said they had not reported the find immediately because they were waiting to see if any "missing" posters would be put up.
Noodle was eventually returned around 6.30pm.
LOST AND FOUND: Noodle is now at home
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