THIEVES have stolen a working terrier from kennels at Lauder.
The trained ratter (above) is one of four dogs owned by self-employed pest control man Danny Cassidy.
The three-year-old Border Terrier named Banjo was last seen when Mr Cassidy fed his animals on Friday evening.
Dead Cert Pest Control’s Mr Cassidy has searched lost dogs websites, reported the theft to police, checked with farmers he works for and contacted animal rescue centres to no avail.
“He’s a cracking little dog. For somebody to stay in the Borders and have my dog would be difficult. I’m hoping if I let enough people know, he might turn up: somebody might trip up and he might run away from the person who’s got him.”
He fed his dogs at 6.30pm in the kennels behind his house where he lives in a flat two storeys up. None of his neighbours heard anything. And he says he believes Banjo was stolen because the door to the kennel had been tampered with.
The rest in the pack of four are a pointer, a mongrel and a terrier cross, and Mr Cassidy, who set up his business in 2004, deals with rodents, birds, insects and foxes.
He said: “I think he’s been stolen to order. Border Terriers are worth a bit of money, he’s the only purebred dog I have
“He’s a working dog but he’s also a pet. He’s part of the armoury you have got to have for pest control. It’s equivalent to a joiner having his tool box pinched. He’s in his prime doing his job. It’s gut-wrenching somebody else is taking advantage of the work I have put into him.
“I’m hoping someone starts to panic and lets him go.”
Anyone with any information can contact Mr Cassidy on 07921 212528 or through his website on www.deadcertpestcontrol.co.uk.