A JACK Russell terrier was 'dog-napped' from Merseyside, abandoned, picked up in Bolton, neutered, found a new home and featured on television . . . all within 13 days.

Now, the exhausted five-year-old dog is back home in Kirkby after almost becoming the centre of a tug-of-love court case!

The Jack Russell, named Mick, was put in a cattle wagon by his owner, Christine Forber, at the family's farmyard in Kirkby to keep him out of mischief while she tended to the animals. But the truck was driven off by thieves, unaware of their passenger in the back.

The theft happened on Thursday, April 10, between 1.30pm and 2.30pm, and a "substantial reward" is still on offer for the return of the missing wagon or its cattle container, now believed to be somewhere in the Bolton area.

Christine said her main concern was for the dog when the truck was stolen.

"My mother-in-law tried the Widnes Feline Rescue. A woman there suggested that I contacted the Granada TV Crime File programme."

Unknown to Christine, the truck had been stopped for speeding by police on its way to Bolton and soon after it is thought the thieves discovered Mick and abandoned him.

Mick was picked up and sent to the Destitute Animal Shelter where he was neutered and looked after until more than a week later, when he was taken in by a Bolton family.

At that point Christine's photographs of him were featured on the Granada appeal, and Mick's new owner, rang in response. However, in the several days Mick had been living with her, she had become attached to him and did not want to let him go.

Christine said: "We knew it was Mick, but she wouldn't even give us her address for us to come and see him. She did give us the Animal Shelter's address and telephone number though, and we went to see the people there who told us that the only way of forcing the new owners to hand the dog over could be to take the matter to court. "They told me the new owner's children had got attached to Mick, but as I said to her, I have no children - Mick was my child."

In the end the new owners agreed to hand him back.

Christine said: "I would like to say a big thank you to the Bolton person who found him and handed him into the shelter, and all those who took care of him."

Detectives are still searching for the missing wagon and Christine is offering a reward for the return of the wagon or its container. The registration number is C355 LNV. Anyone able to help should telephone Christine on 0151 546 2619.

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