Frank Wong tied his family’s 10-month-old cavoodle Dora to a pole outside Vogue Shopping Plaza at 670 Chapel Street in South Yarra about 3.25pm yesterday.
While Wong was doing the grocery shopping inside, three women allegedly untied Dora and walked away with the puppy in tow.
“Dora was not allowed inside the shopping centre, so I tied her up outside the mall for only about 15 minutes or so,” Wong said.
“It was utterly awful. We thought we lived in a safe and friendly neighbourhood so to see such an act is very awful.”
Sergeant Ryan Gilmore said the theft appeared opportunistic.
“The females were walking the street, they have taken notice of the dog, entered the centre and returned to steal Dora,” Gilmore said.
The trio were last seen walking with Dora north along Chapel Street towards Richmond.
Wong said he was desperate to reunite Dora with his four-and-a-half-year-old daughter.
“She misses Dora very much, they are like sisters,” he said.
”[Dora] means so much to her.”
Police have released images of the women, who are described as Caucasian, aged in their 20s to 30s, with long brown hair.
The first woman was wearing a grey crop top and black pants.
The second was wearing a dark tracksuit and a Nike T-shirt.
The third woman was wearing dark jeans and a dark-coloured hoodie.
Dora was wearing a pink collar, pink leash and is microchipped.
Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers.
Wong said all the family wants is to be reunited with their “very sociable, very friendly” puppy.
“We are happy to provide a reward, all we want is to have Dora back home with our family,” he said.
“If you want to take her to a vet or a shelter, just hand her over, that would be fine with us as well. Nothing matters more to us than being reunited with Dora.”
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