'˜SHE'S BACK!' Joy as stolen dog is reunited with delighted owner

Jason Slater’s mastiff cross Boxer, Harley, was found running in the street after being untied outside Sainsbury’s in Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, on Friday night.

The 41-year-old said: “Somebody had let her out into the street. The police turned up with her.

“Whoever had her released her and let her go.

“Some old man in the street found her while walking his dog. She’s back!

“Thank you very much for everybody’s help and support. You’re all brilliant.

“I’m so happy. She was so hot to handle the woman had to let her go. She had no choice but to release her back into the outside world.”

Jason, who works at Monsters INK’d in Cookson Street, Blackpool town centre, said the six-month-old puppy was taken after being tied up outside the Sainsbury’s Local branch for a couple of minutes while his partner popped inside just after 6pm.

“She came home 20 or 30 minutes later and said, ‘the dog’s been taken.’

“Harley had only been outside the shop for a short time. There’s dogs out there all the time. Harley’s really friendly and really well behaved, a curious dog. She’s not vicious at all.”

The dog, who is microchipped, has been Jason and his partner’s since she was eight weeks old.

CCTV footage captured close to the shop showed her being led away by a woman dressed all in black and with long, dark hair, at 6.08pm.

A subsequent appeal for information on Facebook was shared more than 9,000 times and attracted almost 1,400 comments.

Most were positive, but some were critical of the decision to leave Harley tied up alone. One, Jamie Crowe, said: “I’ve always said this but if you’re planning on going inside a supermarket then don’t take your dog.

“If you’re stupid enough to leave a dog tied up outside and unattended, then you have nobody to blame but yourself.”

But Sarah Jackson hit back: “I have upon many occasions tied up my dog outside shops, and even this Sainsbury’s. It is not at all irresponsible or anything like leaving a baby outside a shop.

“Unfortunately there are disgusting people out there who steal what they can, whether it’s a dog tied up outside a shop, a wallet from your pocket, or something from your house.

“There are bad people everywhere, it doesn’t mean you should never go to a shop if you have a dog with you, or that you shouldn’t leave your house just in case you get mugged.

“This woman who stole him is the only guilty party.”

She told Jason: “Do not feel guilty for one second, you’ve done nothing wrong, and this repulsive thief is the only criminal.”

Addressing the criticism, Jason added: “Keep hating and not helping, thanks.”

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police confirmed officers were contacted at 6.20pm on Friday and are now investigating.

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