A Kelowna couple visiting Vancouver is heartbroken after their dog, Luc, was stolen from their vehicle in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.
Luc is a 19-month-old, white Cotton de Tulear.
Tim and Lesley Spiegel brought him to Vancouver to drop him off at a friend’s home so they could take a vacation to South Africa.
On Thursday evening, they left Luc in a carrier in their car, which was parked on East 15th Avenue near Main Street, for 30 minutes while they went out for dinner.
That’s when someone broke the window and took the soft-sided bag with Luc inside.
"I looked and I saw the smashed glass and I just went into total panic,” Tim said.
"The shock and the sick feeling is just it's unimaginable. I mean, it's just so painful," said Lesley.
The couple reported the theft to Vancouver police and spent the last several days canvassing the neighbourhood while putting up missing posters.
Luc needs medication for his anxiety and the Spiegels worry he won’t eat while away from them.
His theft is taking a physical and emotional toll on them as well.
"We're having trouble sleeping and eating. It's just, the thought of not knowing what happened to him is just hard to live with,” said Lesley.
The couple has cancelled their vacation, promising to stay in Vancouver until Luc is found.
There is a $2,000 reward for the dog’s safe return.
