The owner of a brain-damaged Chihuahua, who could die from a mere knock on the head, is desperate to get her dog back.

Jenny Goode from Minster lost her beloved 10-year-old pup, Schuko, on Friday, February 11, after she went out into the garden at their Nelson Avenue home.

The 68-year-old said: “I own a few Chihuahuas and they always go out to the garden together at around 9.50pm every night, it’s their little routine.

“When they were all finished they came in but Schuko didn’t, she’d vanished.”

The long-haired Chihuahua, who has now been missing for more than a week, is described as tiny, weighing 2kg.

Jenny continued: “Schuko was born with a soft spot in the centre of her head.

“We expected that she would hurt herself when she was a puppy but she never did, eventually it grew a membrane over it but she is still vulnerable.

“A knock to the head could kill her but apart from she is healthy.

“As soon as we realised she hadn’t come inside we searched our garden three or four times, we were still looking at 1am.

“She really isn’t the type of dog to get out, she’s very wary of tight spaces and if she had found a hole to get out of the other dogs would have followed her.”

Jenny looked for Schuko again the following morning but had no luck.

She fears the low gate into her garden may have enabled a thief access to lean over and scoop up the small dog.

Jenny finished: “I need to get as many people to know about her as possible in the hope I get her returned to me.

“Schuko is loving but she won’t approach people for love.

“I just want to make her too hot to handle for any dog thieves who might have her.

“We miss her terribly, as does her sister, and want to do anything to get her back to us.”

A police spokesman said: “No suspects have been identified and no arrests made.

Anyone with information about the missing dog can call Kent Police on 01795 419119 quoting reference 46/29713/22 or if you have any information that may be able to reunite Schuko with her owner call Jenny on 01795 872973.