Gold Coast grandma begs for safe return of her dog after alleged dognapping

An 87-year-old grandmother has been left heartbroken after her dog was snatched at a Gold Coast park by a callous thief. Now she says it’s a race for survival for the sick pet.

A Gold Coast grandmother has made a desperate plea for a callous thief to return her sick dog after the shih tzu was “snatched” from a Burleigh Heads playground.

Eileen Graves, 87, said it was a fight against time to rescue her beloved companion Romi, 14, who needs medication twice a day for a heart and kidney condition.

“If he doesn’t have his medication he’ll die,” she told the Bulletin.

“I don’t know what to do without him.”

Romi, 14, the one-eyed shih tzu was allegedly stolen from the esplanade in Burleigh Heads. Picture: Richard Graves

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Mrs Graves said she had been taking Romi for his morning walk along the Burleigh Heads Esplanade about 4.20am on Thursday when a man appeared, swooping on the dog and running to a nearby car: “I think (the thief) watched me, he saw I walk slowly with a stick,” she said.

“I tried to chase him down but I couldn’t keep up, I was shouting ‘please bring my dog back’.”

The family are hoping someone may spot the distinctive pooch, who has just one eye, and are “hoping and praying” for his safe return.

Eileen Graves, 87, and her son Richard Graves, have pleaded with a dognapper to return their beloved pet.

Mrs Graves said the alleged dognapper was an unshaven man in his 30s who was wearing a military-style jacket and a backpack at the time.

He was last seen driving off in a white sedan.

The dog has not been seen since.

Son Richard Graves said his mother had been beside herself since Romi was taken.

“She’s still walking around talking to him, asking ‘where are you?’, she’s devastated,” he said.

“It’s devastating not knowing what’s happened to him or where he is.”

Mr Graves said the family had been calling vets, printing pamphlets and posting on social media pages in a desperate bid to find the dog.

There are fears Romi could succumb to a medical condition if he is not given proper care. Picture: Richard Graves

The family suspects the dognapping may be related to a string of strange home visits by a man over the last two months.

Mr Graves said the stranger had knocked on their door several times in recent weeks asking to see and feed Romi.

“We just want the dog back,” Mr Graves pleaded. “Please return him, no questions asked.”

Police are investigating.

Anyone with information or who has seen Romi is urged to contact 0431 409 134.