Big Brother contestant warns owners after Islington dog theft
Filming of A Fool's Circle at the North Pole pub by Islington resident Suzanne Seddon. Suzanne, with Jemima Slade, from Big Brother, - Credit: Archant
A former Big Brother contestant has warned dog owners to be vigilant after a sick child’s Chihuahua was stolen in Islington last month.
Jemima Slade's Chihuahua Jakey who was snatched from Marylebone on July 21 - Credit: Archant
A former Big Brother contestant has warned dog owners to be vigilant after a sick child’s Chihuahua was stolen in Islington last month.
Jemima Slade, 42, who was evicted second from the reality show last year, says that thieves are travelling round London bundling dogs into the back of vans to sell them on the black market or use them as bait in illegal dog fights.
Ms Slade’s nine-year-old Chihuahua Jakey was stolen from near her flat in Marylebone on July 21, just two weeks before thieves took a seriously ill 11-year-old girl’s teacup Chihuahua from a garage in Pentonville Road.
Ms Slade, who has tracked CCTV footage of the two men and a woman chasing her dog down the street before putting him into a van, is offering a part in Islington based film A Fool’s Circle to anyone who can locate her stolen Chihuahua.
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Ms Slade, who lives in Marylebone, said: “Since Jakey went missing I’ve met loads of people through dog groups on Facebook who’ve had similar things happen to them.
“After I put my story out there a woman rang me saying her nephew had seen men in a white van putting dogs in to a van in Clapham, and then I heard about the young girl’s Chihuahua that was stolen near Kings’ Cross.
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“A lot of the smaller dogs are apparently used for baiting, getting the Staffs and the other big dogs all riled up – it’s very distressing.
“You have to be so careful now, don’t leave your dog tied up, don’t let him out of your sight.”
Sharane St John’s teacup Chihuahua was taken from her garden in Pentonville Road on August 6 while she was at home.
She has a condition which effects her balance and means she spends a lot of lying down, and her Chihuahua would lie with her and keep her company.
Police are still not sure what happened to the dog, but advised the family not to release his name as it could give the thief an advantage.
Ms Slade said: “Honestly it’s disgusting, these people don’t realise what they’re doing.
“Chihuahua’s are Mexican and were originally used as healing dogs when people were sick. Jakey would often come and lie with me if I wasn’t feeling well or if I was in pain, they can sense it.
“I can’t stop thinking that he might be somewhere upset wondering where we are.”
If anyone has any information on either of the missing dogs contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
