A dog owner has described the people who stole her pet as callous.

It was four weeks ago when black labrador Winnie went missing from Sophia Dixon's farm in Doddington.

She was dumped eight miles away in Harrietsham.

Mrs Dixon, 30, said: "When Winnie got out I reckon she was spotted and someone saw it as an opportunity to take her.

"I doubt very much that she managed to walk herself all that way without help."

Swale council's animal control officer, Tim Oxley, took a call last Friday from a member of the public who said they had found a black labrador three weeks ago.

The caller said they had decided to keep the dog, which is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

However, the animal was causing them problems, so they contacted the council to collect her. The incident is being investigated.

The council, which holds the RSPCA gold footprint award for its dog collection service, picks up all pets reported straying in the borough.

When Mr Oxley collected the animal from Harrietsham, he checked to see if it had a microchip and Mrs Dixon's details flashed up on the computer with 18-month-old Winnie's records showing she had been reported missing on July 30.

Mrs Dixon, whose husband is a fruit farmer, said: "I would urge everyone to get their animals chipped.

"It meant the difference between us getting our dog back and never seeing her ever again.

"It doesn't cost much at all and the fact that it means Winnie came home makes it even more worth it.

"She is a member of our family and when she didn't come back we were devastated.

"We searched high and low and were filled with worry. I think it's sad that someone could take a dog without a second thought. It's probably a sad sign of the times.

"It was pure luck that the people who found her dumped in Harrietsham decided they didn't want to keep her any more."