Swadlincote: Dog owner talks of 'worst year' following theft of dachshunds

A woman whose four dachshunds were stolen from kennels 12 months ago has said it has been "the worst year" of her life.

Eight dachshunds were taken from kennels in Burton Road, Acresford, on February 10 last year.

Five have been reunited with their owners but three are still missing.

Shelley Tomsett, who still has one dog missing, told the BBC website it had been a "really traumatic, terrible year" but she lives in hope that she will see Cookie again.

Mrs Tomsett's dogs were staying at her friend's kennels when they were stolen.

Four dogs belong to Mrs Tomsett, of King's Lynn, Norfolk, and the others belong to her friend, who owned the kennels.

Two of her friend's dogs - Doris and Nora - are also still missing, like Cookie.

Mrs Tomsett said: "I really despair about how she [Cookie] is being kept having seen how the others have been kept.

"It was the worst year of my life. We live in hope we might see her [Cookie] again one day."

Rikki was found in Basingstoke, Hampshire, in May, Rummy was found during a police raid in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, in August and Jess was found wandering the streets in Basingstoke in August.

The other two located dogs, belonging to her friend, were found in Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

She said Rummy and Jess had "recovered very well" and "you would not know they had been anywhere".

However, Rikki has had to be re-homed with a friend because he "was so traumatised" and would not settle back in with her other dogs, but he is "happy now", she said.

Derbyshire Police are still appealing for people to come forward with any information.